1 of 7

Alabaster City Schools welcomed the first class of students selected to be a part of the school’s new workforce development program on Tuesday, Jan. 28. (Photos for the Reporter/Jason Gaston)

By NOAH WORTHAM | Managing Editor

ALABASTER – With golden tickets in hand, students poured into auditorium of the Thompson High School Performing Arts Center to accept their certificates marking them as members of the very first class of the ACS Champions Craft Academy.

Alabaster City Schools celebrated the first wave of students to be members of its new workforce development program, the ACS Champions Craft Academy, during an assembly at the THS Performing Arts Center on Tuesday, Jan. 28. Students were gifted a golden ticket that gave them permission to leave class and enter the auditorium for a ceremony officially welcoming them as new members of the academy.

“This is a realization of a dream and really a completion of what we call a total school system where every individual matters,” ACS Superintendent Dr. Wayne Vickers said.

The ACS Champions Craft Academy will be housed in the former Winn-Dixie/Restore building on Highway 119 which was acquired by the school system for $1.96 million and has seen significant interior renovations.

Previously, the school system was limited to 15 students in its workforce development program which transported students to the Academy of Craft Training in Birmingham which was approximately a 45-minute bus ride from ACS.

“We just felt like we could do better than that, that we owe something to all of our students,” Vickers said. “We’re going to now send individuals into the workforce so much more prepared and connected to real jobs.”

The new facility will allow more students to participate in the program and will be located approximately six minutes away from THS. The removal of the commute time will also free up students’ school schedules for additional electives and extracurricular activities.

Chief Academic Officer Dr. Amanda Wilbanks welcomed the new craft academy students to the assembly on Jan. 28 and expressed her excitement about the start of the program.

“Your craft academy years with us will be under my department, and I’m so excited to see you here and see this inaugural group of students,” she said.

Wilbanks said that the program was a dream of Vickers and that he had wanted something for every student, not just those going to college or the military.

“I think now we’ve finally achieved that for all of Thompson’s graduates who can truly be ‘Champions of our Future,” Wilbanks said.

Wilbanks then welcomed Vickers to the stage where he shared a personal anecdote with students of the success his brother has had as an electrician and the difficulty he first faced in starting the profession due to the lack of a workforce development program.

“He wanted to work and go straight to work and do some things very differently,” Vickers said. “And I remember how frustrated he was that his training and his work had to start after he graduated high school.”

Now, with the introduction of the craft academy, students in grades 10 through 12 will be provided the opportunity to train in fields such as construction, electrical and industrial with the hope of employment opportunities as soon as they graduate.

“You all are going to set the tone of what the Champions Craft Academy can do,” Vickers said. “You all will connect to jobs and opportunities and will be back on this stage when we accept new groups in every year and explain what doors were opened for you.”

The first wave of students to enter the new workforce development program were selected through an interview process after more than 200 students signed up for the chance to enter the program. Students engaged in a one-on-one, three-minute interview in January that discussed each student’s future plans for their career.

“That’s what’s so special for me and for all of us here to see you sitting here with your golden ticket and ready to go, ready for the future (and) ready for the next step in the process,” said Dr. Wesley Hester, assistant superintendent and principal of THS. “There’s been so much planning, so much work, so much preparation has been done for this opportunity to occur and this truly is a game changer for you.”

When the Champions Craft Academy officially opens for classes in fall 2025, the initial wave of trades offered to students will be construction, welding and electrical. Students will acquire knowledge, skills and certifications throughout their time in the academy.

“You’re going to get out of this program what you put into it,” said Jayden Kidd, who will serve as the transition specialist for the Champions Craft Academy. “I expect your 100 percent because you’re going to get our 110 percent. We’ve got some great instructors on board.”

The craft academy courses will feature lessons from industry professionals who are knowledgeable about each given trade. The course material for 10th graders will build a foundation and teach safety, OSHA 10 and CORE. Students in eleventh grade will dive into additional certifications and 12th graders will get hands-on experience and learn extra specialized skills. The academy will also offer internships each time students are out of school that will allow them to earn pay and to gain firsthand experience out in the field.

After successful completion of programs in the craft academy, students will earn industry-recognized credentials issued by the National Center for Construction Education and Research. Additionally, many students will see job offers directly from companies.

“Most of you will have your first top job offer before you ever receive your diploma,” Vickers said. “That is a game changer.”

More Alabaster Reporter

Alabaster receives $2M in funding from Ivey for Highway 119 improvements

Registration opens for Alabaster City Schools First Class Pre-K

Thompson boys, girls bowling advance to state as girls win South Regional

SCSO to offer Citizen’s Sheriff Academy opportunity to the public