ELIZABETHTOWN, Ky. (WDRB) -- John Hardin High School junior Calijah Holyfield said he's not going to college after graduation next year.
Instead, he's going to work.
"I told them I wasn't going to go to college," Holyfield said. "I didn't want to be in debt and all that."
And on Thursday, the Hardin County School Board gave him an avenue to achieve his goals. The board approved teaching positions to add additional career pathways for students like carpentry, residential maintenance and others that don't require a college degree. As a result, Hardin County students will have the opportunity to take course work in new areas.
"For years, it was like, college, college, college, college, college. You must go to college," said Jennifer Cobb, college and career readiness coach at Hardin County Schools.
Cobb said they always want students to attend college, but they also like having a plan B.
"It all depends on their end goal," she said.
Whether it's college or a 9-5 job, it's her job to guide students.
"We create 32 pathways to get students certified in something," Cobb said. "And so when they leave us, they are prepared for the workforce in some field."
College may not be in his future, but Holyfield plans to use the new pathways to launch his career.
Calijah Holyfield
"I know a lot of people that's like already in debt, and they're still paying that stuff off from years ago, and I don't want to be that person that's just sitting there paying off my debt," Holyfield said. "I'd rather be debt free.
"I want to start off working for somebody, and then I want to own my own company."
Hardin County will be adding new teachers in the near future, and those new career pathways will be available next school year.
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