HALIFAX – When you were in high school, did you have an answer when someone asked “what do you want to do after graduation?”
Many students don’t, so the Halifax Regional School Board put on a career fair on Thursday to give students a little insight into job and post-secondary school opportunities.
Bus loads of high school students, more than 1,300 of them, piled into the BMO Soccer Centre, many of them unsure what their future holds.
“I really came to learn more about what I want to do after schooling, because right now, I have no clue,” said Tyler Hobbs, a grade 11 student at Sackville High.
The idea of career fair is to give students a chance to find out more about career opportunities they can choose from.
“There are so many avenues here for students to network with, to connect with, so they can make some informed decisions about their future,” said Lynn Hogan Gillespie, a youth pathways consultant with the Halifax Regional School Board.
Close to 90 industry partners with the school board had booths set up at the fair.
One of which is Cherubini Metal Works Ltd., the company making the new deck segments for the Macdonald Bridge. They have a summer program for students.
“It’s time for us to make sure that these people stay here by giving them opportunities,” says Jane Caudle with Cherubini.
Irving Shipbuilding is hoping after Nova Scotians are trained here, they’ll stay here. The company peaked one students’ interest.
“I got some interest that I didn’t have before,” said Dylan Sawler, who is in grade 10 at Cole Harbour High. “I really enjoyed looking at the boat building and the ship industry.”
There are other exhibitors showing off many other career opportunities, like accounting, the health industry, and a new group aboard, Jazz Aviation which offers jobs in the aviation industry other than pilots and flight attendants.
Halifax Fire Services and Halifax Regional Police were also at the fair recruiting.
Overall the high school students found the career fair informative.
“I think it’s really good because you have a passion for something but don’t necessarily know the career that could go along with that. You can come here and see the different careers that are here and you might find something that will really spark your interest,” said Grade 11 student Chloe Goulden.
“It’s a really cool experience, especially if you don’t know what you want to do with your life because you get to experience all kinds of different jobs and talk to people,” said Millwood High Grade 10 student Maddison Miles.
Comments