This week at their industry advisory committee meeting, three freshmen girls from CAST Tech High School spoke about the school’s first Industry Day for freshmen.
CAST Tech has three pathways, and students must choose either User Experience Design (UX), Cyber Security, or Entrepreneurship by the end of their freshman year.
Each of the girls had chosen a different pathway, and each said the opportunity to sit with leaders from CPS Energy, H-E-B, Whataburger and other employers, hearing directly about each of these three fields, had been the final factor in their decision for next year.
Two of the three are also participating in a mentorship program known as InspireU. As part of the program, they visit Valero monthly, and are matched with a mentor who will stay with them until their senior year of high school.
A big takeaway from their first two visits to Valero had been how many careers are represented across the company, opportunities that go well beyond oil and gas.
The Industry Day was a project recommended by last year’s class of seniors as part of their legacy day.
Much of what we seek to do at CAST Schools is to give students rich academics combined with hands-on, career-connected learning. It is in these types of signature experiences that students get outside of the classroom and see the real-world implications of what they are learning in school. Juniors across all CAST Schools participated in a Life Ready Summit Friday at the University of Incarnate Word, with workshops on college essay writing, career pathways, money management and other life skills.
The CAST Tech industry advisory members gathered on Thursday noted that, while not always easily measured, it is these types of experiences that are the CAST difference, resulting in students who show up to the workplace with confidence, strong communication skills, and the ability to problem solve and work in teams – super important for life though not captured on standardized tests.
Jeanne Russell
Executive Director, CAST Schools