The Third Annual Careers on Wheels Returned to the Iredell County Fairgrounds

Iredell County, NC - Careers on Wheels, a career exploration event, returned on April 29 to the Iredell County Fairgrounds in Troutman where 2,000 sixth graders from Iredell-Statesville Schools and Mooresville Graded School District interacted with more than 60 businesses and industries to answer the age-old question. What do you want to be when you grow up?

 Hosted by Iredell-Statesville Schools, Mooresville Graded School District, Mitchell Community College, the Greater Statesville Chamber of Commerce, and Iredell Economic Development Corporation, Careers on Wheels is a cornerstone event of Iredell Ready, a workforce initiative created to cultivate career exploration, promote lifelong learning opportunities, and close the skills gap for Iredell County employers. The event exemplifies the Iredell Ready priorities:

 •                Prepare the Pipeline

•                Strengthen Industry & Education Partnerships

•                Create Relevant Learning Opportunities

Each business and industry are charged with providing small groups of students with an age- appropriate activity or demonstration to help students understand the business and the types of career opportunities available to them.

Tim Woody, Executive Director of High Schools and Career & Technical Education for Iredell- Statesville Schools, explains, "Career exploration is a key element in our 8 Degrees of "E" and a student's path to graduation and postsecondary success. Events like Careers on Wheels afford the opportunity for our sixth graders to see, touch, and hear about the many career options within Iredell County. The career awareness we offer prepares our students to declare their "E" as they register for 11th grade. Simply put, they will be Employed, Enrolled, Enlisted, or an Entrepreneur after graduation. Once we know this, we can be a value-add for them in their last two years in high school; so, they are value-positioned upon graduation."

Additionally, Careers on Wheels effectively demonstrates an intense commitment of Iredell County education institutions, county government, and business and industry to collaboration to promote and develop lifelong learning opportunities for the betterment of residents, enhance social mobility within our economy, and assist citizens in obtaining gainful employment within Iredell County.

"The Career on Wheels event for 6th-grade students aligns perfectly with the MGSD strategic plan and Career Development Continuum,” shares Kevin Wilson, Career and Technical Education Administrator, Mooresville Graded School District, “Our partnership with Iredell Ready and Iredell-Statesville Schools connects local students, our future workforce, and the businesses and industries that serve our community. Our students and staff look forward to this event and are excited to participate!"

Careers on Wheels is an annual event typically scheduled for October as a part of the celebration of Manufacturing Month in Iredell County. The 2024 event was postponed as Iredell County businesses and municipalities rallied to send assistance to Western North Carolina after Hurricane Helene. The official 2025 Careers on Wheels will be this October.

ABOUT IREDELL READY

Iredell Ready is a workforce initiative founded by the Iredell Alliance to align, identify, and enhance strategic priorities across the workforce development pipeline from early childhood education to retirement. Working with industry partners, career seekers, and students, Iredell Ready is creating a diverse, equal, and inclusive environment for the citizens of Iredell County to grow. Our mission is to cultivate career exploration, promote lifelong learning opportunities, and close the skills gap for Iredell County employers. Through a strategic vision and with the combined efforts of industry and workforce development partners, Iredell Ready will attract, train, and retain an educated and skilled workforce that advances Iredell County's economic prosperity. For more information, visit www.iredellready.com.