Why local students are exploring opportunities in Alabama’s Wiregrass Region

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In November, 11 students from around the world attending college in Alabama embarked on a unique weekend trip to the Wiregrass Region of southeastern Alabama. Their goal? To learn more and experience the exciting opportunities that Alabama has to offer.

Read on to hear from participating students, community champions and employer partners who participated in the FuelAL Fall Summit to the Wiregrass.

A unique opportunity to see what Alabama has to offer

On November 2nd, 11 students attending college in Alabama met at the Economic Development Partnership of Alabama (EDPA) headquarters at Bakers Row to get ready for a weekend exploring the Wiregrass.

Although the students came from a variety of backgrounds—including several students from Nigeria—they had one thing in common: they were curious to see what Alabama has to offer.

The 11 students were able to participate in this trip to the Wiregrass for free thanks to a new talent attraction and retention program developed by the EDPA in partnership with Innovate Alabama. Dubbed Fuel Alabama (FuelAL), this program was designed to give college students a better understanding of the professional and personal opportunities that exist throughout the state.

“Each year, thousands of students graduate from Alabama institutions only to take their skills to New York, Washington, Atlanta, Nashville and other cities. To combat that brain drain, Alabama has to be proactive in giving students reasons to stay here. The EDPA and Innovate Alabama had the foresight to build a program dedicated to showing students that there are reasons to stay in Alabama. It is imperative that we start selling our story now, so that we have a strong workforce in the next five to ten years.”

Hayden Camp, Regional Workforce Council Liaison, Alabama Industrial Development Training

Exploring the Wiregrass

During their trip to the Wiregrass Region of Alabama, the 11 FuelAL Fellows were exposed to a wide variety of fun, new experiences. For example, the group drove out to Dothan to experience the sights, sounds and flavors of the largest peanut festival in the nation—the National Peanut Festival.

At the National Peanut Festival, the students tried traditional fair fare, rode thrilling rides and even got a chance to experience the EDPA’s mobile workforce development program, ALEX: The Alabama Experience.

“We had a great experience at the National Peanut Festival. They had any type of fair food you could want—fried Oreos, all types of peanuts and the best corndog I’ve ever had in my life. There were a ton of rides, too. The EDPA even had their mobile workforce showcase program, ALEX: The Alabama Experience, at the festival.”

Rylen Dempsy, FuelAL Fellow

However, the FuelAL program isn’t just funnel cakes and carnival games. During their trip, the group attended exclusive industry panels with city officials and leaders from local businesses in the Wiregrass Region, including leadership at Great Southern Wood Preserving, Inc., the maker of YellaWood® brand pressure-treated pine.

“They took us out for a tour at their sawmill, Abbeville Fiber, as well as their treating plant, and it was fascinating to see the technology that goes into producing and treating YellaWood® products. Our tour guide was an exemplary employee who left a large corporation in order to run the Abbeville Fiber plant. At the corporation, he was just a number—but with Great Southern, you could tell that he and the other employees truly cared about each other. The tour was probably my favorite experience during the entire trip.

Rylen Dempsy, FuelAL Fellow

In addition to Great Southern’s Abbeville plant, the FuelAL group toured local attractions and met with leadership from several area businesses, including:

• TriDelta Systems, a firm that helped build out the technology behind the Abbeville sawmill
• The ATTA Library for STEM & History in Abbeville
• The HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology Wiregrass
• And more

“As an employer in Alabama, we’re always looking to recruit and retain talented people. At the end of the day, all of these kids are going to explore their options and try to make the best career move they can. Our state needs these people, so finding them early and giving them reasons to stay is a great initiative that I wholeheartedly support and will one day yield benefits for employers all over the state.”

James Rane, Jr., Great Southern Wood Preserving, Inc.

Know someone who would benefit from FuelAL?

If you or someone you know is a college student with an internship in Alabama, FuelAL could be your ticket to learning more about the fantastic opportunities and experiences that exist throughout the state.

“I’ve participated in several FuelAL programs, and I can confidently say that it is a fantastic program for anyone who wants to explore Alabama. I-65 takes you through the biggest cities, but if you step off the beaten path you’ll discover amazing places, meet fascinating people and experience things you’d otherwise never get to do. I encourage any college students in Alabama to look into the FuelAL program.”

Rylen Dempsy, FuelAL Fellow

For more information about FuelAL and upcoming events, check out the EDPA website and follow them on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.

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