DECATUR, Ala. — It's a girl takeover at Calhoun Community College! The campus hosted the 18th Annual SWeETy Camp where sparks fly, steel is cut, and magic is made. The camp focuses on offering 9 - 12 grade area girls an opportunity to learn hands-on skills that can lead to high paying, satisfying careers in high growth industries.
Anna Verble is a tenth grader at the Alabama School of Cyber Technology and Engineering. Verble explained that she couldn't let this opportunity for Summer Welding and Electrical Technology Camp pass her by. "When I heard about this, I was like, this is a perfect opportunity. My college counselor, Ms. Krueger, she actually sent me an email with the information about this. She was like, this sounds like something you'd be interested in, and it happened to be."
Verble said she is interested in Additive Manufacturing, Welding Technology, and Electrical Technology which is everything SWeETy Camp offers. "I immediately got my parents to sign me up for it."
Athens Renaissance eleventh grader Charlotte Lott is in the same boat, attending SWeETy Camp for the second year in a row. "Even just doing it for one year, you kind of get a feel for things and you kind of understand what's going on. And then the next year you're like, okay, I got this, you know?"
For James Clemens High School Senior Adel Vandermark, her passion lies in the welding department. "I really wanted to go into Aerospace Mechanics, so stuff like electrical and welding and engineering are things that I really need to get experience on. this camp helped a lot. I actually welded my name into a metal plate."
For Amber Fortenberry, Director of Talent Development and Recruitment with the Decatur Morgan County Chamber of Commerce, the hands-on component is key. "They are making projects, building a lamp. So they can do that with their hands, and that's the best experience they can get. We also have our additive manufacturing, so they're making keychains upstairs."