SEYMOUR — Junior high and high school students in Seymour got a chance to experience real-world careers in a unique program called Be Pro Be Proud on Tuesday.
The bus was at Seymour Junior High and students from the high school and junior high as well as Gary Hardin Academy got to experience the bus, which provides virtual reality experience to a variety of careers.
“This is hopefully sparking all the students’ interest in one of these professional trade skill jobs that that may not have even been aware is out there and in high demand and think they could not do it and they try it on the truck and figure out that is what I’m going to do,” said Alison Lewis.
Lewis and her husband Jason oversee the bus that came to Seymour. The company, which originated in Arkansas, is a non-profit aimed at encouraging students to look at trade jobs like welding, excavating and other careers.
About 12 different career paths were illustrated on the bus.
Students from Seymour assisted their classmates in learning how to use the virtual reality games to try their hand at real careers.
“We had six student ambassadors to assist us and students on the equipment all day and assist the students who come through,” Lewis said.
Seymour High School shop teacher Fred Ellis selected the ambassadors and praised the program for inspiring the students to find a passion in a career path.
“This is a good thing. The first group that came up here didn’t want to leave. They wanted to stay longer,” he said.
School officials are excited about the possibility of having the bus come to other schools in Sevier County.
