Pike County Offers Real World Experience for High Schoolers

[gtxvideo vid=”QVvKDg2A” playlist=”” pid=”2gxTqEDg” thumb=”http://player.gtxcel.com/thumbs/QVvKDg2A-120.jpg?cachebust=1457539682942″ vtitle=”Pike Co. Economic development”]

Pike Liberal Arts Senior Kelly Grant says saving for college is at the top of her list. With the help of Pike County’s Economic Development Corporation she’s able to do exactly that while getting on the job training for a career in marketing.

“I figured if I worked at a communications company that I could get an inside on what I really want to do and see if this is where I want to go,” says Grant.

Grant is one of 14 students part of the economic development’s paid internship program.

“We get to kind  of look at someone as a potential employee one day and if they decide to go to college or to a trade school then we know that they’ve had a basis with us,” Dianna Lee of Troy Bank and Trust.

Several businesses are a part of the initiative. Where students are paid minimum wage while working 140 hours a semester and for some its the first of many pay checks.

“Some of the students when they see their first paycheck of course there were some taxes taken out and they were asking why? I was supposed to make this and I made this,  Dr. Mike Hall of Pike County Economic Development Corporation.

“It teaches me how I can save money from one pay check to the next instead of just spending as soon as I get it,” says Darielle Jackson.