On a recent afternoon, a group of students dressed in neatly pressed suits and dress shirts gathered on A-B Tech’s King’s Common to pose for professional photos. Spanning age, background and gender, they represented a wide range of A-B Tech’s academic programs, but they all share a common goal to build business and leadership skills through the college’s new chapter of the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA).
A-B Tech business students were involved in the Phi Beta Lamda honor society for years, but the group has been on hiatus, due in part to the pandemic. The FBLA group was launched this fall to replace Phi Beta Lambda and quickly garnered interest, currently boasting 14 members.
Led by Artificial Intelligence student Kavic Carter, the group is currently working toward winning the FBLA’s Legacy Leadership Award and fulfilling key aspects of service that could win “Gold Star Chapter” recognition. They are preparing for the state leadership conference in March in Charlotte, which will include competitive events, special-interest sessions, an awards banquet, and social activities.
Each year, FBLA helps more than 230,000 members in middle school, high school, and college prepare for careers in business. Students enrolled in any of A-B Tech’s programs have the option of joining and honing the program to fit their unique goals. An art student with a photography business may aim to build networking skills so she can better market her business. A criminal justice student could polish his knowledge of business law, while an accounting student focuses on building financial skills.
Throughout the school year, students take online tests in their chosen skill area to compete with other state colleges. The highest scoring students go on to compete in the national competition, both as a team and individually, in June.
Business Administration Chair Brad Scott, FBLA’s faculty advisor, said the group is now deciding what to do for its first community project in coming weeks and may help with Helene recovery efforts. In the past, the college’s Phi Beta Lamda group raised money for Eblen Charities, the March of Dimes, and local veterans’ organizations.
Carter was the only member of FBLA until last month, when he was able to recruit more students to join him at A-B Tech’s Fall Festival. He said he has always loved bringing people together and hopes to get more students involved.
“My main goal is to help members build real leadership confidence, the kind that comes from trying new things, being creative and learning from experiences,” he said. “I hope to build a strong community of students who support each other and push their ideas forward.”
Scott, who joined A-B Tech earlier this year, previously led an FBLA group at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College for three years. He said FBLA experience is more valuable than ever for students who grew up during covid and may struggle with interpersonal, communication and networking skills.
Monthly meetings provide students the chance to practice their skills on campus. They walk away with increased confidence, valuable knowledge, and a new array of tools – such as LinkedIn profiles with professional headshots.
Experience gained slowly over the course of the school year also goes a long way at competitions, Scott said. “I have seen students get job offers at the competitions on the spot because there are panels of experts there from various fields,” he said.
To learn more or join FBLA, contact Brad Scott at bradscott@abtech.edu.