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Kenansville, NC - Philip Gladden - According to HR Future Magazine, eight of the twenty fastest growing jobs in the next ten years will be in the healthcare field, including nurse practitioners, home health aides, physical therapy and physician assistants, and substance abuse and mental health counselors. In order to achieve its top priority of providing opportunities for individual students to succeed, our Duplin County School System sponsors the Health Sciences Academy (HSA), a part of the Duplin County Career Academies. The mission of the HSA is “to provide a rigorous educational program in collaboration with local strategic partners to position students for future success as health care providers.” Several providers in the county provide hands-on experiences for students to explore various healthcare careers. The Duplin Agribusiness Academy (DAA) is another member of the County Career Academies. We are all aware of the major role agriculture plays in Duplin County’s economy and the lives of so many of our citizens. Did you know that, according to the 2023 North Carolina Agricultural Statistics from the United States Department of Agriculture, Duplin County ranks #1 in the state in the cash receipts from livestock, #4 from crops, and #1 overall for both combined in the entire state? According to the website, “The DAA provides college and career readiness [with] several pathway options that lead to an associate’s degree in agriculture [and] college transfer credits to major universities.” The DAA helps students interested in agriculture learn skills through internships and work-based learning. The third member of the Duplin County Career Academies is the Duplin Industrial Trades & Technology Academy (DIT&TA). In our fast-changing society, workers proficient in skilled trades continue to be in demand. These trades include electricians, plumbers, welders, mechanics, HVAC technicians, pipefitters, and masons. In partnership with James Sprunt Community College (JSCC), Duplin County Schools offers occasions for high school students to be introduced to demonstrations of different trades. Earlier in November, students from Duplin County Early College, East Duplin, James Kenan, North Duplin, and Wallace Rose Hill High Schools attended the “Trade Up” exhibition at JSCC’s WestPark Campus in Warsaw. According to a news release about the recent event, “Through JSCC’s Career and College Promise Program (CCP), students can learn about trades and accumulate certificates, diplomas, and degrees while finishing high school. Not only does this allow students to jump-start their college education or career ambition, but CCP is available for high school students in Duplin County with little or no cost.” The Duplin County Career Academies is just one outstanding example of the innovative programs that our local public schools are offering in order to prepare our students for life. Each of us in Duplin County will benefit greatly in the years to come by having highly skilled healthcare workers, tradespeople, and agricultural leaders who have been educated, encouraged, and nurtured by our local public schools and the dedicated teachers, staff, and administration members. We know what the needs will be in the future. Duplin County Schools is working hard today to meet the needs of tomorrow.