New class allows students to collaborate with local businesses

Starting this semester, Southeast Polk is offering a new business class that focuses on working with local businesses on projects that help their business.

Business and computer science teacher Andrea McGee, the teacher of Career Prep/Exploration,  has been contacting businesses to see if they have any projects for the students to collaborate on.

“We will be partnering with local businesses in order to complete a variety of projects that will enhance their business in some way. The class is not course specific, meaning you don’t need to be interested in majoring in business after high school to take this class. It will be beneficial no matter what your potential career path is,” said McGee.

To join, students must successfully complete English II and be a junior or senior. The course is a one semester long and is a block period worth DMACC credit.

The purpose of this class is to teach students how to professionally work with businesses and give them real world job experience.

“I think the biggest gap we have between high school and the working world is soft skills, knowing how to be an employee, how to effectively communicate, how to handle difficult situations in the workplace, and continually growing in all professional aspects. This class is aimed at giving students the opportunity to learn and grow in all of those areas,” said McGee.

Businesses have been requesting projects for the students do work on. McGee has had many businesses show interest in the new course.

“Future projects could be a variety of things such as marketing/social media marketing, event planning, helping a business with employee involvement or morale, looking at information and proposing a better process, or many more. The sky is really the limit,” said McGee.