Have you ever noticed the kids in the Publix uniforms walking around campus? Well, they are a part of a class here at Olympia called “Communication-Based Vocational Education” (CBVE). It might seem like a regular course in which students regularly take trips to Publix, but it is much more than it initially appears. CBVE is a class that integrates vocational training and communication techniques while using a progressive learning approach.

The class coordinator makes it a point to organize a volunteer activity for the students to get some experience in the working world as they grow older. In this case, the kids go to do volunteer work at the grocery store Publix, where they learn job skills they can apply in the real world. “We go to Publix almost every day during the school week, except Wednesday. We do volunteer work and I stack the bananas when we’re there,” senior Vincent Pham shared.

CBVE is a very helpful class for those in need of additional vocational skills. In the class, many have learned how to interact with others and what it means to be a co-worker or classmate. While CBVE accomplishes many goals, a huge one is the connection to the real-life world. The volunteer work they do can be directly transferred to a work-place.

“The goal is to help them gain enough experience so when they graduate they can go into our transition program which is similar to an internship or become employed,” said CBVE Coordinator, Ms. Wilson.

Communication-Based Vocational Education serves as a stepping stone that prepares those for success in whatever field they decide to pursue. This integration of skills and techniques allows individuals to take off and excel in the constantly changing world.