In fall 2022, nearly 10 million K-12 students were enrolled in rural public schools across the U.S.—representing around 20% of the K-12 student population. Far from the buzz of metropolitan life, many rural students are unsure what job opportunities exist in their communities—or whether they’ll be prepared for them.
As budget cuts force rural districts to scale back career training programs, a growing number of students are left feeling uncertain, even discouraged, about their future.
Rural Gen Z students are 19 percent less likely than their urban peers to believe they’ll find a good job where they live and 12 percent less likely to think that they’ll have access to job training, according to research by Gallup and the Walton Family Foundation.
But online schools—and their accessible, flexible approach to learning—may hold the key to rewriting that narrative.
Across the country, rural high school students are gaining real-world skills that prepare them for in-demand careers—whether they dream of working in a city or staying in their hometowns. From Wisconsin farmlands and Indiana coalfields to Texas ranches, virtual schools like West Virginia Virtual Academy (WVVA) are reaching students who too often miss out on the career learning their urban and suburban peers receive.
Traditionally, when young people leave rural areas to pursue opportunities, or stay without a clear career path, communities lose skilled workers, future leaders, and long-term economic strength. But today, students can explore high-demand fields like legal services, business information management, agribusiness, or heavy machinery operations, through virtual classes taught by state-certified teachers.
“We are creating equal opportunities for students across the state,” says Doug Cipoletti, Executive Director at WVVA. “Robust career training isn’t possible in all areas—but every student deserves a chance for advanced career placement, and these programs are making that happen.”
At the heart of online career learning is personalization—they’re not just picking a career off a list. WVVA students can opt to complete a career pathway, which may include a required number of credits, work-based learning, dual enrollment, and industry certifications.
Exploratory courses offer real insight into different roles, including the kind of lifestyle and salary they can expect. Students still exploring their interests can take courses in a variety
of fields, building a diverse range of skills that make them stand out to companies looking for new talent.
With online classes, career learning is accessible no matter where students live. But virtual doesn’t mean isolated. Many programs also offer in-person, hands-on training through various partnerships with school districts, local unions, and businesses. Future operating engineers learn how to run a crane or a backhoe, tomorrow’s nurses and doctors intern in local doctors’ offices, while others learn electrical skills, farm machinery maintenance, and Adobe Creative Cloud.
These students are graduating high school with strong career knowledge and skills, not to mention industry-recognized certifications and college credit, giving them a step up when they apply for apprenticeships and jobs.
And this is all possible because of the virtual learning environment.
Online schools are leveling access to high-quality career learning, giving students the same opportunities, whether they dream of success in their hometowns or the chance to build a life in a completely different setting. Today’s students don’t need to feel stuck or discouraged by their job opportunities—there are options.
This is the future of education—where every student can build a career that they’re proud of. It’s time we make accessibility the standard for all students, no matter where they live.
