Students learn about their options at career fair

Contributed
CAREER FAIR — Hundreds of high school students from Jefferson, Harrison and Belmont counties gathered at St. Florian Event Center in Wintersville for the third-annual County-wide Career and Education Fair on Sept. 11. 

WINTERSVILLE — High school students learned about their future options during the third-annual County-wide Career and Education Fair on Sept. 11.

Hosted by the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce’s Workforce Training and Education Committee, the fair was held at St. Florian Event Center in Wintersville and included about 60 vendors including colleges and universities, businesses, trade organizations, first responders and military recruiters while hundreds of students were in attendance and represented Bridgeport Exempted Village School District, Edison Local Schools, Harrison Hills City Schools, Indian Creek Local Schools, Jefferson County Christian School, Jefferson County Joint Vocational School, Steubenville City Schools and Toronto City Schools.

The committee, which is headed by Jefferson County Educational Service Center Superintendent Chuck Kokiko, includes 12 members representing school districts and businesses who helped organize the fair while the districts transported their pupils. Safety played a role in the latest event amid recent school threats and organizers worked with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department and Lauttamus Communications for extra security.

Chamber President Kate Sedgmer said between 500 and 700 students took part and had an opportunity to find out the many career and educational opportunities available, not only to ensure their future success, but also to encourage the students to live and work locally.

“We always expect between 500 and 700 students, depending on how many schools are involved and who they feel need it the most,” Sedgmer said. “The chamber’s Workforce Training and Education Committee promotes keeping students local. Hopefully they learned the top seven careers in the Ohio Valley and come back after they get their degrees.”

Students were given “passports” and visited each vendor table as well as roundtable discussions on entrepreneurship, trades and apprenticeships, health care, public relations and community outreach, finance, and military and first responders, plus they had a chance to win prizes from laptops and iPads to Stanley cups. Sedgmer said there was plenty of interaction among the students and vendors and hopefully it inspired them to remain close to home.

She thanked the workforce training and education committee for making the fair possible and building interest in local career and educational opportunities.

Kokiko added that the career and education fair has flourished since it began.

“Over the years, I have watched this event grow from a simple idea to the occasion we have today. What an excellent opportunity for area students to learn about future careers, enlistment opportunities and higher education all in a single visit. Students can then take the vast amount of information learned in this general setting and focus on aspects they find most appealing,” he continued. “We are fortunate to have the education and workforce committee as part of an active chamber of commerce. Kate and her staff do an excellent job in engaging our business and education communities with events such as this throughout the year. If your business or student has not been a part of our event, we strongly encourage you to consider participating in the future.”

Several vendors on hand agreed that it was successful, saying students were engaged and asked plenty of questions.

“We had a lot of people come through who seemed interested,” said Kacey Goodlan, a certified clinical medical assistant on hand with Trinity Health System. “Most of the questions were about tuition and costs.”

“It’s been great. The kids are definitely interested in the trades and they are curious about what the trades and unions are. They may be in high school and not thinking about the future, but it’s never too early to plan that seed,” said Nathan Butts, executive director of Project BEST. “There is going to be a large need in the next 10 years to come. There will be a lot of retirements and jobs need to be filled.”

Students were excited to take part in the experience.

“I really liked it,” said Paige Ellenberger, a junior at Edison High School. “It gives us opportunities for college and careers and gives us information.”

“It gives you a lot of options,” added Kylie Hamilton, also a junior at Edison. “I like the different things they provide about jobs and college and you get a lot of information.”

Toronto juniors Brady Fair and Ethan Humpe echoed those sentiments.

“I’m deciding what I want to do, and it gives me options,” said Fair.

“I got to meet college representatives and got opportunities (to learn what is available),” added Humpe.

Sponsors for the event included Trinity Health System, TIMET, Capital Health Care Network, WesBanco and YSU.