Career Coaches Help Chevron Launch Ambassador Program in Jackson County
High schoolers learn about operations, maintenance and engineering careers
A new school-industry partnership on the Gulf Coast underscores the positive impact that career coaches are making on workforce development in Mississippi.
Piloted last year in Jackson County high schools, the Chevron Ambassador Program allows Chevron employees to go into their former high schools to talk to students about operations, maintenance and engineering careers and the paths they followed into their current positions.
The idea for the program was based on feedback from career coaches, who were deployed into Jackson County schools three years ago to help students develop post-graduation plans, with a goal of enrollment, employment or enlistment.
“Career coaches are an integral partner with us,” said Katarina Scott, Chevron’s external affairs representative and supervisor of the Chevron Ambassador Program. “They identify students who would benefit from talking to our employees, and they also work individually with students to direct them to the right career paths.”
One student who benefited was Moss Point High School graduate Thomas Ferguson, who is currently enrolled at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. During his senior year, career coach Regina Story encouraged him to attend a presentation by Chevron Ambassador Shardae Howard, a 2017 Moss Point graduate and process operator at the Chevron Pascagoula Refinery.
“[Career coaches] help you better understand the purpose of college,” said Ferguson, who received a Chevron Scholarship award and plans to enroll in Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College this fall. “Not a lot of students grasp that unless someone explains it to them like Ms. Story does. She’s the best.”
“When Shardae mentioned how much she made…his smile just got really big,” Story said. “Now he has a real goal and something to look forward to.”
Last fall, AccelerateMS launched a statewide career coaching strategy modeled after similar programs in Gulf Coast and northeast Mississippi school districts.
Career coaches focus on students enrolled in career and technical education programs who are struggling academically or uncertain about their future. By identifying their career interests and connecting them with community resources, coaches help students make a plan after high school.
“Coaches are another ally for students who help bridge the gap between high school and successful futures,” said David Fava, supervisor of Jackson County’s P3 Career Coach initiative. “Through the Chevron Ambassador Program, coaches are showing CTE students that there are extraordinary opportunities to make a great living right here in Jackson County, but you have to be on top of your game to get those jobs.”
Career coaches also work closely with Mississippi’s network of community colleges, many of which offer advanced CTE courses, degrees and certifications that match regional workforce needs.
“We recently took all of the career coaches in our four-county district to our CTE locations so they could meet the teachers and see the programs first-hand,” said Dr. Jonathan Woodward, executive vice president of Teaching & Learning and Community Campus at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. “When they work with students who are at risk of dropping out, coaches can intervene, give them hope and connect them to a specific instructor and program so they can get on the right career track.”
Based on the success of the pilot, Chevron plans to continue the Ambassador Program in Jackson County high schools for the upcoming school year.
“When students see someone who graduated from their school who’s making a six-figure salary at Chevron, that makes a powerful impact,” Fava said. “We have some of the smartest students in the country, and with the help of our career coaches, we’re working to keep their skills and talents in Mississippi.”
AccelerateMS serves the people and businesses of Mississippi by developing and deploying workforce strategies to connect individuals with transformative, high-paying careers. By leveraging resources and partnering with organizations that hold complementary missions, AccelerateMS effectuates positive change, creating sustained individual, community and statewide economic prosperity.
