Revolutionizing Vocational Education in Oxford: Expansion of the Choccolocco Research, Education, and Technical Experience Program (CREATE) to New County High School Campuses

The Choccolocco Research, Education, and Technical Experience program, also known as CREATE, is expanding to the city of Oxford. This unique program will be held in a 95,000 square foot building that was formerly the Honeywell building. The expansion is being rolled out in three phases.

Phase 1 of the program, set to begin in the near future, will exclusively target high school students in Oxford and introduce programs such as Engineering, Green Power, Computer Science, Robotics, Comprehensive Commercial Construction, Modern Manufacturing, and Criminal Justice. In Phase 2, which is scheduled to start in 2025, the program will expand to include high school students from Calhoun, Cleburne, Clay, Talladega, and St. Clair counties. Phase 3 is expected to be completed by August 2026 and will continue to accept students from the five counties mentioned above.

The adult training component of the program has already begun in Comprehensive Commercial Construction. The aim of the program is to prepare the workforce in East Alabama for high-wage and high-demand career fields that currently lack skilled workers. Don Hopper, Executive Director of the Calhoun County Economic Development Council stated that the program will help build a pipeline for companies in need of skilled employees.

The CREATE program is the first of its kind in the area and has received support from various companies