By Shiloh Ireland

Photo,left:  Barry Jantz, Debbie Barnum, and Chula Vista Mayor Jim McCann

November 15, 2023 (Lakeside) -- Sixty Chula Vista Learning Community Charter high school students took part in real-world, hands-on experience in construction and drone technology on October 25 at AGC Apprenticeship & Training in Lakeside. The event was hosted by Barry Jantz and attended by Chula Vista Mayor John McCann who took part in Career Exploration Day.

There is an ongoing national discussion taking place about the high cost of a college education and resulting student debt, as well as alternative career pathways to college. So this local community is stepping up, providing students and under-served communities the knowledge of great paying alternatives and paid training right here in our backyard, bringing young people in for hands-on career exploration.

The students participated in a series of 30-minute hands-on workshops in a state-of-the-art training facility, showcasing a variety of excellent careers available in construction and related industries. Experiences included drone technology, heavy equipment simulation, framing, plumbing, and electrical.