𝐄𝐥𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐂𝐎-𝐎𝐏 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 $𝟔𝟕𝟗𝐊 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞

Workforce development is creating real economic impact across Elmore County, and local students are helping lead the way.

During the 2025-26 school year, Elmore County CO-OP students worked more than 53,900 hours and earned a combined $679,443 while gaining valuable hands-on experience with local employers. The program not only provides students with career-ready skills and professional experience but also strengthens the county’s workforce pipeline and contributes directly to the local economy.

The Cooperative Education (CO-OP) Program serves as a bridge between the classroom and the workplace, connecting students with businesses and organizations throughout the county while helping prepare them for successful careers after graduation.

For local employers, the program provides access to motivated young talent. For students, it offers an opportunity to explore career interests, develop workplace skills, and build professional relationships that can lead to future employment opportunities.

“Students in the program can earn high school credits for their work experience,” said Emilie Johnson, director of the Elmore County Career and Technical Center. “Hands-on learning experiences help bridge the gap between what is learned in class and the actual workplace. Participating in CO-OP also provides students with essential soft skills like teamwork. Our expectation is that these students graduate high school job-ready and with valuable work experience.”

Johnson said the impact extends well beyond the classroom.

“The Cooperative Education Program in Elmore County strengthens the economy by providing immediate revenue through student earnings and helps to fuel the local workforce pipeline,” she said.

As businesses across Alabama continue seeking skilled workers, workforce development programs such as CO-OP are becoming increasingly important. By connecting students with real-world work experiences before graduation, the program helps employers cultivate future talent while giving students a clearer understanding of career opportunities available within their own communities.

According to Cooperative Education Coordinator Tara Green, those partnerships create benefits for students, businesses, and the county as a whole.

Green said the program’s long-term value lies in its ability to connect students with local opportunities before they leave high school.

“Through these work-based learning experiences, students develop in-demand skills, establish professional relationships, and often continue working with local businesses after high school, helping employers grow their future workforce while encouraging talented graduates to live and work in our community,” Green said.

The impact of those workforce connections extends beyond individual students and employers. Local economic development leaders say programs like CO-OP play an important role in strengthening Elmore County’s long-term economic competitiveness.

“A strong workforce is one of the most important factors in attracting and supporting business growth,” said Art Faulkner, chairman of the Elmore County Economic Development Authority. “The success of Elmore County’s CO-OP program demonstrates what can happen when education and industry work together. These students are earning valuable experience today while helping build the workforce that will support the future of our communities, our employers, and our local economy.”

That focus on workforce readiness is part of a broader effort underway throughout Elmore County Public Schools to align education with future career opportunities and the evolving needs of industry.

Superintendent Richard Dennis said the school system has significantly expanded career technical education opportunities over the past decade, growing from approximately nine career technical education instructors to 19 instructors representing a wide range of industry-focused programs.

“In Elmore County Public Schools, we are expanding our career tech programs,” Dennis said. “Over the last 10 years, we have gone from roughly nine teachers to 19 teachers representing a multitude of different program areas and industry-related areas.”

Dennis said the goal is to create a coordinated K-12 system that prepares students for both college and career success while meeting the workforce needs of local employers.

“It is absolutely crucial that schools, businesses, and community leaders are all involved in the process,” Dennis said. “Otherwise, a school could produce skills that are not relevant to the business and industry in that area. It must be a collaboration because those students are growing and supplying the needs locally in those businesses.”

As Elmore County continues to invest in workforce development, career readiness, and educational innovation, programs like CO-OP are helping ensure that local students are equipped with the skills, experience, and opportunities needed to contribute to the county’s long-term economic success while building their futures close to home.​​