While his classmates were filling out college applications last fall, Eddiver Rodriguez was learning to splice underground power cables. The Benjamin E. Mays High School senior had discovered something through Georgia’s Work-Based Learning program that many adults never find: exactly what he wanted to do with his life.

“My experience with Work-Based Learning (WBL) was amazing,” says Rodriguez. “I found opportunities I never knew were out there while in high school. The program made it easy for me to get real-world experience as an intern, and now an Apprentice Cable Splicer with Network Underground Services immediately after high school.”

Rodriguez started with Georgia Power as a WBL student in October 2023, splitting his time between the engineering pathway classes at school and hands-on training with Network Underground Services crews. By the time he walked across the graduation stage last May, he’d already earned his CDL Class A permit. After a summer internship, he was promoted to his current apprentice position, acquired his CDL Class A license, and is currently pursuing crane certification.

The skills gap solution

Rodriguez represents exactly what Georgia’s Work-Based Learning program aims to achieve: connecting students with careers before they graduate. The numbers paint an impressive picture. Last year, nearly 30,000 Georgia high school students earned credits in their chosen Career, Technical and Agricultural Education Pathway program and over 21,000 businesses across the state employed WBL students. These weren’t just minimum-wage jobs – students earned more than $121 million in wages while gaining experience in fields from healthcare to manufacturing to utilities.

For Georgia Power, the program has become increasingly central to their workforce development strategy. The company has grown its WBL participation by over 90% since 2022, with 15 students currently working across skilled trades and engineering departments. It’s a strategic move for an industry facing a wave of retirements.

“WBL is the cornerstone for building our future workforce,” explains Nikia M. Johnson, Georgia Power’s Workforce Development Specialist. “It supports and enhances a high school student’s career pathway and future success by providing practical experiences and essential skills for workplace success. Eddiver is a proven success that WBL works. WBL identifies top talent for Georgia’s workforce, enriches communities, and drives economic mobility.”

Real work, real impact

Rodriguez’s supervisor, Kwantez Dennis, has watched the young man’s rapid development since he first joined the team. “Eddiver has been a rising star and an asset to our Network Underground Services Team,” Dennis notes. “Since joining NUS as a WBL Student, Eddiver has aspired to gain knowledge, be a team player, and work hard to contribute to the team’s success. Since onboarding as a WBL Student, Eddiver has now been promoted to Apprentice Cable Splicer and is well on track to becoming a Journeyman Cable Splicer.”

The transformation from student to skilled tradesperson doesn’t happen overnight. WBL students must be juniors or seniors, at least 16 years old, and committed to a defined career pathway. They balance academic requirements with real workplace responsibilities, earning both a paycheck and school credit.

Laura Boswell, Work-Based Learning Program Specialist with the Georgia Department of Education, sees the mutual benefits daily. “Georgia’s Work-Based Learning programs create a powerful partnership between businesses and students, where employers gain access to motivated, trainable talent while helping to shape the future workforce,” she explains. “Students benefit by applying classroom knowledge in real-world settings, developing essential skills, and building valuable industry connections that prepare them for long-term career success.”

A different path to success

For Rodriguez, who completed his high school’s engineering pathway while working at Georgia Power, the program offered something a traditional classroom couldn’t: certainty about his career direction and a head start on building it. Rodriguez is earning a steady paycheck, building his skills, and advancing in a field where demand for qualified workers continues to grow, while many of his peers are now navigating their freshman year of college.

His path from WBL student to apprentice to future journeyman represents more than just one success story. It’s a model for how education and industry can work together to solve workforce challenges while creating opportunities for students who might otherwise struggle to find their direction after high school.

The message is clear: college isn’t the only path to a successful career. Sometimes, the best education comes with a hard hat.

Sources: Information source www.gawbl.org; Date source Georgia’s CTAE Advantage; Photos supplied by Georgia Power Company