While graduating high school takes a lot of hard work, more than 40 members of Carter County’s Class of 2018 stepped up to take on an additional challenge and were rewarded for their efforts.

This school year was the first year Carter County Schools participated in the Work Ethic Diploma program, and a total of 43 graduating seniors compiled enough points to earn the designation this year. A total of 16 students from Unaka, 12 from Cloudland, 10 from Happy Valley, and five from Hampton garnered enough points this year to earn their Work Ethic Diplomas.

School officials are calling it a successful first year for the program, which they expect to see grow in coming years.

“At the beginning of this school year, seniors of Carter County high schools were offered a chance to be the first graduating class to be able to achieve a ‘Work Ethic Diploma,’” said Barbara Marek, a behavioral specialist with the Carter County School System who also serves as a liaison to school counselors. “This is a workforce readiness credential that encourages students to complete extra goals on top of their academic requirements in order to help prepare for their future careers.”

Students in the graduating class of 2018 who opted into the program received a checklist of ways to earn points toward their Work Ethic Diploma. Students earned points for things such as achieving good school attendance, avoiding unexcused tardies, remaining drug-free, earning industry certifications, completing dual enrollment credits, maintaining at least a 2.0 GPA, participating in “industry awareness events” and more.

“Once a student earned 20 points over the course of his or her high school career, he or she was eligible to receive a special seal on his or her regular high school diploma, as well as, a cord at graduation,” Marek said. “As further incentive for students to participate, several companies statewide are also participating in this program. Graduates with these diplomas will be guaranteed interviews with over 40 employers from GE to International Paper.”

“Because of its emphasis on workplace readiness, it has also gained the official endorsement of the Tennessee Manufacturers Association,” she added.

The guaranteed interview is an integral part of the program, according to Marek, because it gives the students a result they can see from their hard work instead of just being told that the recognition will “look good on a resume.”

There are more than 40 industry partners for the program, and even more are signing up as the program grows, according to Marek. Among some of the businesses signing up to offer those guaranteed job interviews to students earning this distinction are Ballad Health, International Paper, Mahle, JTEKT, GE, The Robinette Company, Mullican Flooring, and Ball.

With a wide variety of industry partners buying into the program, Marek said the career opportunities for the students are incredible.

And, Marek said, the Work Ethic Diploma certification and offer for a guaranteed job interview do not expire.

“It hits the student who wants to go straight to work, but it also hits those students who will be using it after they complete their education,” Marek said.

In addition to opening up the program to this year’s graduating class, Marek noted the high school counselors offered the program to all of the high school students.

“Our counselors are introducing this in their freshman orientations to get the students and parents thinking about this,” Marek said.

The program has the potential to not only help shape the lives and careers of the students who earn their Work Ethic Diploma, but Marek also said she believes it could help the entire community as well.

“With industry support and robust participation in Carter County School System, as well as the other local participating school systems, the Work Ethic Diploma will help build a brighter economic future for all of Northeast Tennessee,” Marek said.

If you are interested in learning more about this program, seeing a list of industry partners or requirements, visit www.workethicdiploma.com for more information.