As a retired technical college educator and current Thomasville Rotarian, I was pleased to read your articles in the Sunday edition about Evoqua and other industries in Thomasville. These industries are vital partners in Thomasville’s economic health and success. They offer jobs to a skilled workforce which Thomasville is strategically prepared to provide through our schools and colleges.

The Thomasville Rotary Club has a deep commitment to the education of our youth — pre-K to high school and beyond. We are most interested in improving graduation rates at local high schools, a process that should actually begin at birth.

One area of focus for the club has been the promotion of training partnerships between schools and local businesses and industries. These partnerships are intended to keep high school students at risk of dropping out, on track for graduation by providing them with training, mentorships, and pay that can lead to full time employment after graduation. Too many good students face challenges which force them prematurely into the work force, toiling at jobs which pay far less than a trained graduate could command. The partnerships also improve the employers’ ability to fill their demands for trained, motivated, and loyal employees.

From your articles, it is obvious that our young people have many golden opportunities to find secure futures with Evoqua and other industries in their own hometown. I just hope they realize what wonderful opportunities they have in Thomasville and will avail themselves of them.

I am personally acquainted with an 18-year-old who graduated from TCCHS and South Georgia Regional Technical College in 2015 with a diploma in Welding and Joining Technology. Since taking a job with a local industry, he has received several raises based on his superior job performance and work ethic. He has already been placed in a leadership position on his shift. His story is just one example of what partnerships between our industries, schools, and colleges can do to provide economic stability for our citizens, our community, state and nation.

On a personal note, I often take a short cut to work which takes me past Evoqua. I have often wondered who they are and have been intrigued by the name. It wasn’t many weeks ago that the nonprofit I work for was the beneficiary of a donation collected by the employees of Evoqua. And probably we are not the only ones to benefit from their generosity. It is obvious to me they are trying very hard to be good community partners.

Thank you for satisfying my curiosity and providing the community with an opportunity to know more about this and other industries that play a key role in our economic wellbeing.

Carol Jones

Thomasville