The DMACC Perry VanKirk Career Academy hosted a Find Your PATH-Way Day event for area high school students last Friday, with more more than 100 students attending from area high schools Adair-Casey and Guthrie Center (AC/GC), Adel-DeSoto-Minburn (ADM), Panorama, Perry and Woodward-Granger.
The event featured site visits to local businesses and organizations, as well as an introduction to Career Advantage Academies at DMACC.
“Helping students find their path is an important part of the DMACC Career Academy’s mission,” said Eddie Diaz, director of the DMACC Perry VanKirk Career Academy. “By exposing students to various careers, we aim to help them find their passion, and develop skills and talent for a competitive workforce.”
Students on the Find your PATH-Way Day made site visits to the Dallas County Paramedic Station, Dallas County Hospital, Perry Police Department, Perry Public Library, Percival Scientific and Van Wall.
Career Advantage Academy presentations included applied engineering, health occupations, criminal justice and EMT as well as the Teacher Academy and Welding Academy.
Diaz said that thousands of Iowa high school students take advantage of DMACC Career Advantage offerings each year, giving them a jump start on their academic and career goals while attending tuition-free college courses. With their early start on college, students gain hands-on experience that can lead directly to a degree, diploma, certification, apprenticeship or a job while saving time and money, he said.
Tom Lipovac, DMACC Career Advantage advisor at the DMACC Perry VanKirk Career Academy, said the Career Advantage offerings give students the opportunity to reflect, explore and build.
“Through DMACC Career Advantage, students can reflect on their interests,” Lipovac said, “while discovering and pursuing their personal passions, gaining experience, knowledge and training and building marketable skills while earning high school and college credit at the same time.”
The DMACC Perry VanKirk Career Academy serves students from the following school districts: Adair-Casey and Guthrie Center (AC/GC), Adel-DeSoto-Minburn (ADM), Dallas Center-Grimes (DC-G), Madrid, Ogden, Panorama, Perry and Woodward-Granger. High school students who are interested in taking DMACC classes during the 2023-2024 school year should contact their high school counselor this spring.
For more information about the DMACC Perry VanKirk Career Academy and Career Advantage Program, call 515-428-8100 or visit dmacc.edu/perry. The DMACC Perry VanKirk Career Academy is located at 1011 Second St. in Perry.
