Shreveport, La. – On Friday, Caddo Parish schools turned the usual athletic‑season spotlight onto a different kind of future‑builder: 32 high‑school students who signed internship agreements with local employers during the inaugural CaddoWorks Internship Signing Day.
The ceremony, held at the Caddo Schools campus and attended by families, teachers, business leaders and community partners, marked the placement of students in 20 different businesses and nonprofit agencies for the fall 2026 semester. Internships span a wide range of fields, including architecture, construction, health care, hospitality, public service, transportation, human services and more.
Why CaddoWorks matters
“This is what it looks like when we move career preparation beyond the classroom and put opportunity directly in front of students,” said Caddo Schools Superintendent Keith Burton. “CaddoWorks helps our students see themselves in the future of this community, giving them meaningful experiences while they are still in high school, and connecting them with professionals who can show what is possible.”
The program is a joint effort between Caddo Schools and the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce. Through CaddoWorks, businesses can host career presentations, facility tours, job‑shadowing days, co‑op placements and paid internships, creating a pipeline of skilled workers for the region.
Business leaders applaud the partnership
“CaddoWorks is a powerful example of what can happen when education and the business community work together with a shared purpose,” said Tim Magner, president of the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce. “These internships give students the chance to gain real‑world experience, build relationships with local employers, and begin seeing a future for themselves right here in Caddo Parish. At the same time, our businesses get to help develop the talent that will become the next generation of our regional workforce.”
The initiative aligns with the parish’s broader work‑based learning strategy, which seeks to connect classroom instruction to authentic experiences and strengthen pathways into meaningful careers throughout Northwest Louisiana.
Student placements
Internship assignments include:
- Construction: Gabriel Coleman (Caddo Magnet) with Somdal Associates; Elias Worrell‑Anderson (Green Oaks) with Southern Components, Inc.
- Healthcare: Ahmani Hamilton (CCTC/Huntington) with Davenport Family Dentistry.
- Hospitality and tourism: Tyiana Dukes (Huntington) with Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl; several students with the Shreveport Mudbugs.
- Public service: Shayla Medlin (Woodlawn) with the Louisiana Office of the State Public Defender; Austin Jackson (Huntington) with the Shreveport City Marshal.
- Human services: NiShon Dennis (Huntington) with Setting the Standard Barbering & Natural Hair Academy.
Other sectors represented include management and entrepreneurship, supply‑chain and transportation, and community service organizations such as Goodwill Industries of North Louisiana and The Highland Center.
Looking ahead
Burton emphasized that preparing students for life after graduation requires early exposure to the world they will enter. “These partners are actively investing in young people, strengthening our community, and helping build a stronger workforce for Caddo Parish,” he said.
Businesses interested in joining CaddoWorks can participate at various levels, from career talks to full‑time internship placements. More information is available at caddoworks.us.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
