COLUMBIANA- The Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce invited local business owners and school administrators from the Shelby County School system to tour the Shelby County College and Career Center on Tuesday, April 11.

According to Community and Investor Development Director Keyla Handley, the CCC was one of the four locations included in the Greater Shelby Chamber’s quarterly industry tours.

“It’s open to all of our chamber investors, and it’s a free event. We get to tour different industries in Shelby County. This is the first time we’ve done an industry tour at the College and Career Center, and we are super excited to be doing this and partnering with Shelby County Schools,” Handley said.

According to Handley, touring the CCC could give representatives from different local industries insight into what their future workforce is learning.

“We have a great partnership with our schools in Shelby County. There are a lot of businesses that were interested in seeing what the College and Career Center has to offer,” Handley said.

Shelby County Schools Superintendent Randy Fuller said it also served as an opportunity for students to showcase their talents and skills.

“You’ll leave here with a different perspective of what we do for the young people in our system. Our kids are doing wonderful things, and we are proud of what we are doing here,” Fuller said.

During the tour, visitors got a glimpse of what students in 11 different career programs are currently working on.

CCC Construction Technology teacher Van White said the need for technical skills is especially prevalent in Alabama, and the CCC offers an alternative for students who do not wish to attend college.

“Eighty percent of today’s job openings in Alabama require a technical degree, while only 20 percent of jobs require college,” White said.

The Shelby CCC offers the following programs to students from grades 10 through 12 who attend schools in the Shelby County School system:

–Culinary Arts

–Cosmetology

–Health Science

–Public Service

–Agriscience and Plant Systems

–Construction Technology

–Plumbing

–Welding

–Collision Repair

–Automotive Technology

The tour was sponsored by Barge, Waggoner, Sumner and Cannon, Inc., which is a Nashville-based engineering company who has held a long-term partnership with the Greater Shelby Chamber.

BWSC Birmingham Office Manager Chris Grace said this is the largest industry tour the Greater Shelby Chamber has organized, with a total of 50 visitors.