The Columbia County Chamber of Commerce will host its annual Students in Business Day on Tuesday, February 20. The event, originally slated for January 17, had to be rescheduled due to inclement weather.
 
The Students In Business program, sponsored by Textron Specialized Vehicles, was created as part of the Chamber Foundation’s Workforce and Education initiative. The program sends 73 students from Columbia County’s five public high schools into the work sector, based on their selection of five career pathways (Cyber; STEM; Business/Healthcare Science; Transportation/Electric/Welding; and AV/Communications/Graphics). Teens are able to witness first-hand the daily operations of businesses related to their field of study.
 
The students’ day begins when they are bused from their school to Evans High, where they’ll be welcomed at 8:15 a.m., by Chamber President and CEO Tammy Shepherd, along with Textron’s Anthony Williams. Following the welcome, a soft skills presentation will follow before the students load the buses. They will visit as many as two businesses throughout the course of the day, and lunch will be provided. Upon arrival back at the school, one designated student from each career pathway will share his or her discoveries from the tours.
 
Businesses participating in this year’s SIB Day include: IntelliGenesis, Booz Allen Hamilton, Hull/McKnight Georgia Cyber Center for Innovation and Training, Unisys, Textron, John Deere, RW Allen, Doctors Hospital, Kendrick Paint and Body, Columbia County Board of Education, Augusta Chronicle, Augusta Magazine and Phoenix Printing.