Educators throughout Morgan County tour local industry

Approximately 1,000 teachers toured various local industries last week. The tour was a joint effort of the Hartselle Area Chamber of Commerce, the Decatur–Morgan County Chamber of Commerce and the Morgan County Economic Development Association.

Andrea Owensby, Hartselle Area Chamber of Commerce president, said this is the first time teachers have done this. “I think it went great. The teachers seemed to enjoy it, and the industries enjoyed it too,” Owensby said. “There was a lot of value.”

Owensby said the tour allowed teachers to explore different options available to students as well as resources for them to use while teaching.

“These are the largest employers in the area. It allows teachers to start talking to students earlier about career options,” Owensby said.

The event was also organized as a way to make educators aware of the opportunities in Morgan County they can incorporate into their lessons.

Industries included on the tour were Nucor, GE Appliances, Valley Rubber, Saputo, Daikin, Ascend, Deshazo, Indorama IVXP, AlphaPET, Hexcel, 3M, ULA and Alabama Farmers Co-Op. Educators also toured Calhoun Community College tech programs.

Penny Townson, the vice president of the Morgan County Economic Development, said, “Our workforce is hurting, and students need to know the variety of high-paying jobs that are available to them without loans and extended time in school.”

Owensby said she thought the experience was positive for all teachers who attended, kindergarten through 12th grade – not just the career tech teachers.

“I think this will allow them to think outside the box and to use things outside the box,” Owensby said.