Regional Signing Day preview in Tuscaloosa

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WBRC) - Tonight, West Alabama Works will recognize high school students who are starting their careers early. Those high school seniors will start apprenticeships or jobs after graduating, that’s what Regional Signing Day is all about. It showcases youth who started a technical career path at an early age, excelled at it and are being rewarded because of it.

This is similar to signing day for high school athletes. These seniors will sign on the dotted line for apprenticeships and full-time jobs. More than 60 students who decided their career pathways are scheduled to participate. They represent 14 schools within six schools systems from the Tuscaloosa area, the Black Belt and even Jefferson County in some cases. Fifteen companies working with those students will also be there. Teens starting apprenticeships will train with a company or training organization in a skilled trade such as welding. Some of them will also attend a technical school or college as part of their apprenticeship.

“We want to celebrate these kids and really show how important they are to our community. Because many of the kids who are going to college are going outside of our state. Where most of these kids will stay in the state of Alabama and their communities living and giving back to the communities in Alabama,” explained Donny Jones, Executive Director of West Alabama Works.

Regional Signing Day starts at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Tuscaloosa Career and Technology Academy. It’s the second such signing day that’s been organized by West Alabama Works since 2019. The event has not been held for the past two years because of COVID-19 concerns.

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