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Hampton City Schools spotlights free dual-enrollment pathways and welding certificates with VPCC partnership
Summary
Hampton City Schools told listeners its dual-enrollment programs allow students to earn college and high-school credit at no cost, are available across all four high schools, and include career pathways such as welding certificates in partnership with Virginia Peninsula Community College.
Hampton City Schools outlined how its dual-enrollment and career-certification programs give high school students a faster, lower-cost path to college and skilled jobs during an episode of the district’s HCS Talks podcast.
The episode, hosted by Superintendent Raymond Haynes, featured Shamika Pollard, Chief of Secondary School Leadership, and Dr. Shawn Callender, Division Director of Secondary School Leadership. The guests said the division has agreements with Virginia Peninsula Community College (VPCC) that let students earn both college and high-school credit simultaneously and, in some cases, complete an associate’s degree before high-school graduation.
Pollard emphasized cost and access. “At no cost to families. Not a dime,” she said, describing an Academy of the College Experience at Phoebus High School and other avenues that let students earn transferable college credits without tuition charges to their families. The district said dual-enrollment offerings include core subjects such as English, math, science and social studies and electives including law, digital media and business.
The programs are offered at all four Hampton high schools—Bethel, Hampton, Kecoughtan and Phoebus—though specific courses vary by campus. If a desired course is not available at a student’s home school, options include attending the course at another high school, taking the class on VPCC’s campus (with the division paying for the class), or participating in virtual courses or partnerships that combine demand across schools.
Dr. Callender described who teaches college-level courses in the district: “The vast majority, I would say 95% of our dual-enrollment courses are taught by Hampton City Schools faculty members.” He said teachers must hold a master’s degree in the subject or at least 18 graduate credit hours in the field; the division reimburses staff who take required coursework and provides a stipend for dual-enrollment instructors because they record grades in both high-school and college systems.
Officials also highlighted career and technical pathways. Pollard outlined a welding certification pathway tied to the Maritime Academy in which seniors attend VPCC in the afternoons to earn four certificates—shielded metal arc welding, flux‑cored arc welding, gas metal arc welding and pipe welding—and leave high school ready for shipyard work. The district said entry-level wages for graduates of those pathways can reach about $30–$35 per hour, and some students may earn in the range of $70,000 annually depending on hours and placements.
The guests pointed to academic benefits as well as financial ones: students completing an associate degree can enter a four‑year program with junior standing, potentially reducing tuition costs and time to degree. The district also runs a five‑week summer “rising 10th grade” college experience (Tuesday–Thursday, roughly 9 a.m.–2 p.m.) aimed at students with GPAs around 2.0–3.0 to build confidence and prepare them for dual-enrollment work.
Haynes encouraged students to explore the options and contact their school counselors for enrollment details and timelines. New episodes of HCS Talks drop on Thursdays.
