Potential professions and continuing education opportunities were the highlights of a recent event geared toward helping junior and senior students determine their vocation path.
The Thomas County Central High School Career Fair took place Thursday, Feb. 14 in the school’s gym. The event is held every other year.
“Career Fair went extremely well this year,” Brandi Miranda, TCCHS Work-Based Learning Coordinator and fair co-organizer said. “It was great to have so many businesses, industries and colleges participate in helping impact our students’ future. Everything ran smoothly and efficiently. The students were engaged, asked questions and seemed to take away information that will be useful in their future.”
Approximately 50 businesses, safety organizations and postsecondary schools took part. These included Evoqua Water Technologies, Southern Regional Technical College, Envision Credit Union, Donathan Photography and Hurst Boiler & Welding Company Inc.
Shannon Dukes, who works in human resources/payroll for Hurst Boiler & Welding Company Inc., says career fairs are great learning experiences for students and help get the Hurst Boiler name out to upcoming graduates as potential future employees.
“I believe these type of events are so important for the students to realize what Thomas County has to offer them,” Dukes said. “So many are not aware of the different type of businesses in our area. Also, this shows them the skills they are learning – drafting, electrical, welding, nursing, etc. – can be used as soon as they graduate.”
Also, employers look for different skills or traits that stand out or fit their brand when hiring new employees.
“I was very impressed with the students that looked me in the eye to ask about the company,” Dukes said. “Even had some to shake my hand and ask if they could get in touch with me about working when they graduate.”
Vendor Laura Kelly is a recruiter and assistant high school coordinator for Southern Regional Technical College. Kelly says participation in events like this career fair gives SRTC the opportunity to showcase its programs available to TCCHS students.
“Students do not realize what career options are available in our hometown with little to no cost,” she said. “I think it is extremely important for students to see what career and college options they have available to them in our local area. I hope they realize they can stay in southwest Georgia for a college and/or a career.”
Dean Donathan, an agent with AFLAC Insurance, attended the fair to help students discover good paying job opportunities.
“Events like a career fair are important to students to make them aware of the many opportunities that are available that they may never even consider as a career path, to open students’ eyes to the many possibilities in their future,” Donathan said. “If they ask the right questions, they can learn the pros and cons of the various jobs. Students seemed to have a genuine interest, and some of them asked some good questions.”
Edjenee’ Corbin, 17, enjoyed walking around the fair.
“It gave me the chance to ask questions to people who are already working in a field I was interested in joining,” she said. “The fair also gave me the chance to speak to people about careers I would have otherwise never considered. The fair opened my eyes and showed me all the different career options available to me.”
Katelyn Watson, 16, calls the fair enlightening.
“I expected companies and employees in specific career fields, but not all of the vendors belonged to a field,” she said. “There were numerous vendors that a person didn't need a specific degree to be employed with and even one that did not require a college degree at all.”
Watson, who wants to be an educator and have a positive impact on children, found The Heritage Foundation booth to be most informative.
“While much of the work done with the foundation is professional, there are areas for high school and college students who have yet to get a degree,” Watson said. “In the last three years, it came to my attention that the impact I wanted to have was covered by more than just education. With that knowledge, I extended my career plan to include psychology. As someone who eventually will need a part-time job and who doesn't yet have the qualifications to do what I want, this booth presented me with a potential employer. One of the positions they offer for students is to help a family (or just a child) learn how to cope with their specific disorder. It starts with shadowing, and after a while, it is based on the individual schedule.”
The Thomas County Schools booth was Corbin’s favorite.
“I am interested in pursuing a career in education, and the lady at the booth gave me lots of helpful tips,” Corbin said. “Visiting the booth reassured me that teaching is a career path that has many rewards. She informed me that Thomas County Schools enjoys hiring students who graduated from Thomas County Central High School.”
Events like a career fair are important to students, participants said.
“It gives them the opportunity to explore different careers, and they can receive feedback from people who are already engaging in the field they are interested in pursuing,” Corbin said.
Also, they offer students a glimpse of the real world and what it takes to be career successful.
“Students in high school are reaching the point where life decisions are now made by them,” Watson said. “School career fairs ease that transition into the real world where it's not always easy to find and make a living. School fairs open them up to the reality of what is required to make a living with whatever career (or job) they choose.”
This year's career fair was held in February to help promote Career Technical Education (CTE) month.
"In February, we try to provide a lot of different activities that highlight the benefits of Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education," Beth Adams, assistant principal and CTAE director said. "Bringing in vendors who love their careers and can provide our students with a look inside our local workforce is an important part of preparing students for the future, which is the ultimate goal of all we do in our CTAE program."