BROOKWOOD, Ala. (WIAT) — A group of West Alabama educators took a tour of several Tuscaloosa County automotive supplier manufacturing plants Monday to inform students of potential employment opportunities after high school. 

West Alabama Works Director Donny Jones says the goal is help high school students find good jobs in the automotive industry.

“Our teachers, principals and superintendents are touring several of our plants today. SMP and LEAR and today we are at Brookwood High School looking at several programs we have to help kids move into these jobs in our region.”

The program called Educator Workforce Academy Tour lets educators visit assembly lines at LEAR and SMP, both suppliers for Mercedes Benz.  

West Alabama Works wants teachers and principals to tell students about what they saw and learned so students can take advantage of employment opportunities if they decide not to attend college.

Tracy Bryan, a teacher at Sumter Central High School, says this program is a great way to help seniors at her school prepare to get real jobs in manufacturing.

“We’ve learned from today there are opportunities for students like ours who graduate and go right from high school straight to work and depending on what their drive and dreams are, they can achieve whatever they want.”

West Alabama Works Director Donny Jones says this is the fourth year of the program.  According to Jones 3,000 new auto manufacturing jobs will be coming open in the next few months.