ATHENS, Ala. (WHNT) — Students in Limestone County are ready to get to work. On Tuesday, Limestone County Schools celebrated graduates of the Ready to Work program with a signing day.

Similar to athletes having a signing day, the students in the Ready to Work program signed on to jobs with local employers, or acknowledged their intent to go to college.

News 19 spoke with Bo Braden, a student who participated in the program this year. “It helped me get ready for what I need to expect later on in the workforce and what I’m going to need to be successful,” he said.

Braden said he intends to go to Calhoun Community College. He said after two years there he plans to transfer to UAB (University of Alabama-Birmingham) to study architectural design and drafting.

News 19 also spoke with Limestone County Schools Superintendent, Randy Shearouse, who said giving students opportunities is, “what it’s all about.”

“That’s what it’s about, providing more opportunities for our students so they can enter the workforce, be prepared to go to college, and be successful adults as they leave after high school,” he said.

The Ready to Work program provides lessons to students to help them prepare and execute job interviews, broaden their job search, and open their eyes to other career paths.

Tobie Craig is a teacher at West Limestone High School. She said throughout the year she took her students on field trips and helped with job prep.

She said it is important to help young people explore career options while they are still in school. “Some of them are so undecided, and they really just don’t know yet,” Craig said.

“So this class gives them the opportunity to see what else is out there and see what their interest might be,” she said.

One of the employers that partnered with the program, is Asahi Kasei Plastics. A representative from the company said they made “two contingent offers” to students in the program.