William Martin’s Career Connections Benefit Raymond High School Grads

Career coach seeks to build on school’s strong community partnerships 

With the help of career coaches like William Martin, more Mississippi students are realizing that a high school diploma is not an end point but a starting line in their search for a better, brighter future.

“A career is one of those life-defining things that touches every part of life, including physical and emotional well-being, family dynamics and the impacts you have in your community,” said Martin, a career coach at Raymond High School. “The most rewarding part of my job is knowing I’m helping students and preparing them to take advantage of opportunities that lie ahead in the professional world.”

Martin, who’s in his second year as a career coach, was hired through a statewide strategy launched by AccelerateMS, the state’s lead workforce development office. With support from the State Legislature, AccelerateMS has placed nearly 180 career coaches in high schools throughout Mississippi to ensure that students have a college or career plan in place when they graduate.

By 2030, Mississippi will need more than 100,000 skilled workers to meet the demands of growing industries. Career coaches work one-on-one with students to connect them with career pathways that align with their goals and interests, and often, those pathways are in their own communities.

“I’ve been impressed by the overwhelming sense of community among students and faculty that extends to neighboring businesses and Hinds Community College,” Martin said. “Hinds has done such a great job of providing career exposure to students and is one of the most important partnerships we have at Raymond High School.”

Martin works with Hinds CC to coordinate student tours and keeps lines of communication open to make sure students are aware of academic and career-training opportunities. 

“Hinds faculty knows how involved we are with students and the impact we’re trying to make on college and career preparation,” Martin said. “Whenever a new course or program opens up, like Meat Merchandising Technology, they always let me know so I can pass that information along to students.”

Martin noted that two seniors who are interested in physical therapy are working as athletic trainers at Hinds CC. Another student who wants to be an automotive technician was able to earn an Automotive Service Excellence certificate through Hinds CC, which will allow him to enter the workforce after graduation if he chooses. 

Raymond High students also can benefit from paid internships and job-training opportunities, thanks to partnerships with Hinds CC, area employers and the Central Mississippi Planning and Development District. 

“Funding from Central Mississippi has allowed one of our students to earn money while taking an advanced manufacturing course at Hinds,” Martin said. “He’s learning how to use equipment and machine parts so that when he graduates, he’ll be qualified to work for a manufacturing company.”

Martin primarily works with 115 seniors who are preparing for graduation but makes himself available to all students who are looking for assistance in their post-high school transitions. 

He believes his experiences as a high school teacher helped prepare him for the unique demands of being a career coach. After earning undergraduate and graduate degrees in biology, Martin taught at Callaway High School and Ridgeland High School and also taught for a year at Copiah-Lincoln Community College. 

“Teaching helped me develop professionally and emotionally, and I think that growth has allowed me to communicate and connect with students and empower them as a career coach,” he said. “I’m here to provide the necessary insight and support to help students make informed decisions about the future so that one day they can provide for themselves and their families and make a meaningful impact in their communities.”

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/.