It’s that time of year when career fairs pop up and students of many ages apply for jobs or explore career and higher education options. While career expos are important for students, they are also important for businesses and the broader community.
The career fairs we’ve held the past few years focus on middle and high school students. While a few of them will potentially be working for area companies within the next five years, it’s important for businesses to introduce their industry to kids who might not otherwise know much about them. While teachers are tasked with teaching skills, it’s part of the business community’s role to find the skilled students and introduce them to various careers.
That’s where we come in.
We help our community connect our youth with potential career paths after they graduate. We work to prepare a skilled workforce to fill the needs of various industries. Facilitating a career expo is one way we do that. Businesses that exhibit are able to introduce their work and their industry to kids who are just beginning to think about their post-secondary education. Businesses will be able to promote the skills needed to be a successful employee.
For instance, an interior design company could talk with students about the math skills needed (same goes for a construction company). A digital media company could talk to students about what technological skills are needed in that industry. A health care company can ask students about their science knowledge.
Some of the high school students might already have part-time jobs. Businesses can talk with those students and connect the skills the students currently use to various career options. Helping our area youth learn about the skills and experience needed to be successful helps our future economy.
Businesses are wise to exhibit at career expos. It gives them a chance to talk with students directly about the skills and education needed to enter their particular industry. Preparing students as they choose their post-secondary option and head into the working world benefits them and our area businesses.
(Oh by the way, there’s a career expo portion to our “Building Business. Building Careers.” event May 14 and 15)
