GADSDEN COUNTY, FL (WTXL) — Some Gadsden County students are getting a head start on their careers — training to become correctional officers before they even earn their diplomas.
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The program turns a traditional high school education into a potential career path. Students can take part in correctional officer training and begin learning what the job requires, gaining experience before they graduate.
Chiquita Robinson, a criminal justice instructional coordinator, said the students are taking on significant responsibility.
"Being a high school recruit and also in the field for corrections that's a big responsibility they are balancing a lot and they are managing it. And it's not just them when you see them you the support system so it's the parents as well. It's just a ripple effect not just from the parents but from the community."
The need for correctional officers extends across the country. A Florida Senate analysis found the state Department of Corrections had more than 10,000 correctional officers in filled positions. But the state has also been dealing with staffing gaps — with 20 major correctional institutions reporting vacancy rates of more than 24% in 2023.
For students like Gadsden County senior Avionia Whitaker, the program offers lessons that go beyond the classroom.
"I learned a lot of discipline. I learned that I can't just go anywhere and do any types of things. I learned how to carry myself as a young woman."
The program gives students a chance to explore a public safety career, develop professional skills and begin working toward their future while still in high school — and in Gadsden County, that could mean more young people finding a career path right in their own community.
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