Strong workforce pathways don’t begin after graduation; they begin in high school. In Roanoke County, partnerships between K-12 education, local industry leaders and Virginia’s Community Colleges are helping students gain a head start on high-demand careers.
As career and technical education director for Roanoke County Public Schools, Jason Suhr sees firsthand how early access to workforce training can shape a student’s future. Through partnerships with Virginia’s Community Colleges and local industry leaders, Suhr helps create pathways that connect high school students directly to high-demand careers.
Suhr believes collaboration among K-12 education, community colleges and employers is essential to preparing students for long-term success. By aligning coursework with workforce needs, students can build technical skills and earn valuable credentials before they graduate.
“Our students are able to get a leg up while they’re still in high school…be able to dual enroll in a lot of courses that feed right into skilled trades,” Suhr said.
Dual Enrollment Opportunities
Dual enrollment programs allow students to earn college credits or other credentials while completing their high school diplomas. These courses often align with skilled trades programs, creating a clear pathway for students from schooling into employment or continued education.
“It’s important for our students to understand those opportunities and to be able to take advantage of it so that it streamlines their pathway into a career,” Suhr said.
The Role of Industry Collaboration
Professional development depends on strong, ongoing partnerships. Suhr highlights that collaboration helps address the broad range of industry needs while creating meaningful opportunities for students.
“As far as workforce development goes, we understand that there’s a broad array of industry needs and collaboration is vital,” he said. “There are grand opportunities within industry to go work for an employer who will help students pay for their education.”
Through apprenticeship-related instruction and other technical training programs, Virginia’s Community Colleges provide the classroom component that complements hands-on learning with employers.
“It’s very important for the Virginia community college system to have these partnerships,” Suhr said. “The community college system does a great job of offering related technical instruction in the case of apprenticeships or other training that’s needed by companies to be able to upskill their employees.”
Together, these partnerships are helping students move confidently from high school into sustainable careers while strengthening Virginia’s workforce.
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