Outpouring of Community Support is an Advantage for Gautier High School

Career Coach Amanda Stubbs builds connections between students and employers

As a lifelong resident of Gautier and a former educator in Jackson County schools, Amanda Stubbs was amazed by how much she didn’t know about her community until she became an AccelerateMS career coach at Gautier High School, her alma mater.

“I was surprised by the things going on in Jackson County that I didn’t know about after living here 40 years and the level of support for our school and students,” said Stubbs, who was hired as a career coach in 2021. “I didn’t realize how many cheerleaders we had in our own community.”

Stubbs is one of more than 180 career coaches deployed into high schools by AccelerateMS, the state’s lead workforce development office. Career coaches are helping improve post-graduation outcomes by working with students to identify career goals and map out plans to achieve them, whether it’s continuing their education, entering the workforce after graduation, enlisting in the military or pursuing a combination of options.

Stubbs is available to assist all 878 students at Gautier High but focuses most of her efforts on seniors nearing graduation who can benefit from individualized guidance, support and encouragement to find the right path into the future.

In many cases, students end up discovering life-changing opportunities in Jackson County. By building connections with local employers as well as colleges and universities, Stubbs has been raising awareness among students about potential directions after high school, in addition to internships, after-school jobs and job-shadowing opportunities that can enhance their résumés.

“So many local businesses are on board,” she said. “Everything from large employers like Ingalls Shipbuilding and Chevron to insurance agencies, law firms, banks, fast-food restaurants and so many more. One student got a job with American Baitworks as part of the work-based learning program. Until I became a career coach, I didn’t know there was a company in Ocean Springs that makes fishing lures for giant retailers like Walmart and Bass Pro Shops.”

Last March, Stubbs organized a college and community career day at the high school that ended up attracting 54 local employers and more than 300 students, plus local law enforcement and fire department personnel and all branches of the military. Donations made it possible to serve hamburgers and hotdogs, give out dozens of gift cards and provide other amenities without the school incurring any costs.

“The next morning all of the students came in talking about it and asking if we could do it again,” Stubbs said. “It was very hands-on, and students were able to network, ask questions, share résumés and make community connections. One student got a job-shadowing opportunity. The connections we’ve been able to make have been unbelievable.”

Devoting one-on-one attention to students and fostering trust are key aspects of career coaching, Stubbs said. She recalled a student who had a strong interest in music and theater but felt that his dream career was unrealistic and unaffordable.

Stubbs thought of her sister, who had studied acting at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and was a member of Reflections, a student group that serves as official hosts and hostesses for the college. Stubbs connected the student with members of MGCCC’s music education program, and now he’s completing his second year of school while flourishing in his studies and activities, including Reflections.

“When he visited my office last year and showed up in a Reflections shirt, I just lost it,” Stubbs said. “He had opened up to me about his dream, and there were times when we cried together. He didn’t think he could do it, and I told him every day, ‘You’re absolutely going to do this.’ There’s nothing better than knowing I’ve made a difference in students’ lives because of the relationships I’ve built with them and with the community.”

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.

Learn more at www.coaches.acceleratems.org/.