With recent announcements of new job opportunities in Brewton, residents – and especially high school students – have more ways than ever before to become successful in the workforce.

The Brewton City Board of Education Monday approved a dual enrollment agreement with Reid State Technical College. It follows an agreement with Coastal Alabama Community College. Escambia County students are offered experiences through not only the system’s career readiness center, but also as well as dual enrollment opportunties at CACC, Reid State and Troy University.

Dual enrollment allows students to receive both high school and college credit for certain career/technical education courses taken through an Alabama Community College System (ACCS) institution while enrolled in high school.

The way it works is simple. Alabama community colleges partner with local high schools, and students use their elective periods to take college courses. The completed college coursework is applied to both the student’s high school graduation requirements and the student’s college transcript.

By the time the student graduates, it’s possible to have earned enough credits for a two-year college degree. Those dual enrollment credit hours can be applied not only towards a two-year degree, but can also be transferable to a four-year university. Industry-recognized certifications are also available, which qualify students to enter the workforce immediately.

The program is not free.

Each student who enrolls in the program is responsible for paying program tuition to the community college; however, a variety of scholarship opportunities can be found at both CACC and Reid State.

These classes are held both in the traditional classroom setting and online.

Generally, the follow program admission requirements apply:

• Completed the 10th grade;

• Minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5; and,

• Minimum ACT scores of 18 on the English portion and 20 on the reading and portion.

For more information about the high school dual enrollment program, one should contact the high school guidance counselor or the college’s admission’s office.