SPRINGDALE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Springdale Public School students get the chance to learn career and technical skills while still in school.

Arkansas’ new Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders said she’ll be the ‘education governor’ focused on preparing students for the workforce. Students in Springdale already have the opportunity to learn how to weld, do woodwork, electrical work, and many other skills.

Agriculture teacher at Springdale High School, Josh Rice, said he’s preparing high schoolers inside the classroom for work outside of it.

“It really is a leg up because they have some of the necessary things that are done already and that’s attractive to employers, so we try to funnel kids that are interested in the trades into those,” Rice said.

Gleris Cruz is an 11th grader who is taking her second career and technical class. She said she’s learning life skills every day for her future.

“If you learn it, you don’t need help from anybody else and I just want to be independent when I’m an adult,” Cruz said.

Rice said his students are able to go right into the workforce after graduation.

“That’s kind of the joy of being a teacher is to set them up with better skills so that they can make money,” Rice said.