Albert Lea High School students are benefiting from the generosity of over 86 local businesses.

Students have the opportunity to speak with business professionals, shadow them or partake in a mentoring offering. Thanks to the Albert Lea Education Foundation’s new project, “The Albert Lea Greater Education Project,” students in eighth and 12th grade will meet community members either on a panel or one-on-one.

Eighth-graders at the high school will hear professionals from the community speak in their pathways career class taught by Mary Kinghagen. Last semester’s speakers were from the following companies: Agilis, Fantastic Sam’s, Albert Lea Economic Development Agency, Express Employment Professionals, Ace Hardware, The Marketing Plant, Hy-Vee, Innovance, Red Door Construction, Jim & Dudes, ALAMCO Wood Products, Mrs. Gerry’s Kitchen, Cargill, the city of Albert Lea, Ag Power, MN Energy Resources, Thorne Crest Senior Living Community and Eaton Sport & Spine.

Albert Lea High School seniors are now required to have a job shadowing experience within their economics class, taught by Jessica Gregory. Deb Munson’s internship class will also offer a job shadowing experience. Students have the opportunity to shadow a business of their interest to experience a career they may want in the future. Students will be given another opportunity to shadow, if during their first experience they learned the job was not for them. The hope is that students will understand job trends, career paths and educational requirements before investing their time and money towards a future career.

This semester the seniors have been matched to the following companies for their shadowing experience: Adams & Winter (accounting), Dahl Seeds (plant research), Clayton Petersen (agronomy), Red Door Construction (interior design/graphic design), Nelson Family Chiropractic, Advanced Family Dental (dental hygienist), city of Albert Lea (law and law enforcement), Hy-Vee (pharmacist/chef), St. John’s Lutheran Community and Good Samaritan Society of Albert Lea (nursing), Mayo Clinic Health System (OB/GYN, physical therapy, medical assistant), Pro Manufacturing (welding), SuidaE Innovative Vet Solutions and South Central Pet Care (veterinarian), Jones, Haug & Smith (architect), Ridley Inc. (business man), Myre Big Island State Park (natural resources), Albert Lea Tribune (writer), Sanderson Auto (mechanics), Jim & Dudes and Geno’s Plumbing (plumber), Freeborn County Social Services (social worker), Daisy Blue Naturals (chemist), Freeborn County Shopper (graphic design), The Children’s Center (child care), District No. 241 (teachers), Expressions Salon (cosmetology), The PC Doctor (computer engineer) and Albert Lea Convention & Visitors Bureau (marketing).

For more information, contact Jean Eaton at 507-383-7880 or greatalproject@gmail.com.