Job Offers Pour In For Some Thornton Grads
THORNTON, Colo. (CBS4)- Imagine graduating high school with multiple job offers. It is happening for students in Adams County. Future Forward at Washington Square is a career and technical education school in the Adams 12 Five Star School District created to prepare students for high-demand jobs.
Graduating senior Alex Hurley is gearing up to start his career as a firefighter. Leading classmates on an exercise using a fire truck donated by the Thornton Fire Department, Hurley said, "We need more firefighters. Everyone's looking for more firefighters so it's a great opportunity to get into the field right now."
Hurley found his passion early, and two years enrolled in Future Forward's fire and EMT courses only reinforced his hopes.
"I love firefighting. That's what I've been wanting to do since I was five years old so it was always a dream of mine and now that it's actually coming true - it's the best thing ever."
Hurley has been volunteering for nine months with the Hygiene Fire Department, including working the Marshall Fire overnight last December.
Future Forward at Washington Square's Assistant Principal Tessa Gargano said providing students with authentic industry experience is the school's priority and it's paying off, "Kids in all of our programs are getting job offers right out of high school, multiple job offers where they have the opportunity to actually choose what company or program suits them best from here."
Hurley's classmate Jessica Guevara will ship out with the U.S. Navy in August. She's grateful for what she's learned about fire science, "I love it! It's amazing, although I am the smallest in my entire class that doesn't stop me from trying my best and doing what I like."
Adams 12 aims to keep the courses affordable at $40 each.
"They're ready for the field," Gargano added.
Future Forward is funded by Adams County voters who approved funding for career and technical education (CTE) in 2016.
The Future Forward campus also offers courses in construction, diesel mechanics, law enforcement and is adding sports medicine among other industries.
LINK: Future Forward