Area pupils make plans to be employed, enlisted or enrolled
Area high school juniors and seniors attending the 2021 Logan County Career Expo Thursday at the Logan County Fairgrounds had the opportunity to explore more than 90 area businesses, industries, colleges and military opportunities and talk with representatives about their future plans, potentially picking up employment applications or even conducting an on-the-spot interview.
For many of the students in attendance, the fifth annual career fair provided a practical look at how to attain their goals they already have set for themselves post-high school and how to align their passions and talents with current job opportunities.
In one of their many stops throughout the morning, Indian Lake High School juniors Macie Robinson and Kaley Rice chatted with Green Hills Community representatives Rebecca Marker-Smith and Cindy Anderson. The pupils noted that the event helped them confirm that they each want to go into a health care-related field.
Macie said she was able to take a closer look at the nursing career that she wants to pursue, starting out by attending college in the Columbus area. Kaley related that she is interested in studying massage therapy at a Dayton area school.
Fellow ILHS student Jason Hudkins picked up an application for summer employment at the World Class Plastics Inc. booth, while he and Gavin Bailey utilized an injection molding machine on site as a hands-on way to learn more about the processes used at the Russells Point facility. Gavin related that he picked up ideas from the expo about his future interest in studying marketing.
At the same time, Bellefontaine High School junior Malcomb DeSouza said he would like to study a fine arts-related field at a four-year college, which ties in with his high school involvement in the theater and music department.
Similarly, Clark State College representative Raphael Allen said the students he talked with each seemed to have a specific career path that they wanted to explore, and many of their choices included hands-on type of careers at the college, from real estate to business and manufacturing.
The expo is part of the Logan County Collaborative’s “3 E” initiative that strives to create opportunities for students to have a solid grasp when they graduate if they intend to be either Employed, Enlisted or Enrolled. This process of finding their “E” is an important step, Logan County Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Ben Vollrath said during the event.
“I feel like we’ve made a lot of progress on the 3E Campaign during these last several years. Our local school administrators have really bought into it, and that has made a huge difference in getting our students excited about it as well.
“Not too long ago, high school students often felt that attending college, whether or not they knew what they wanted to study, was the only way they could be successful in the future. But now, it feels like the pendulum is swinging the other way.
“College is still a very valid option for a number of our students, but for others, they can see from events like this that is are many other good jobs available right here in our community, where they can begin their careers right out of high school and still have plenty of opportunities for advancement in the future.”
The Logan County Collaborative is coordinated by the Midwest Regional Educational Service Center in partnership with Logan County Chamber of Commerce, Logan County Job and Family Services, local school administrators and committee members from local businesses.
Following the expo for high school students in the morning and early afternoon, also attended by pupils from Benjamin Logan, Riverside and Upper Scioto Valley school districts, the career fair was opened to adult job seekers from 3 to 6 p.m. Thursday as well.
The varied local companies in attendance — from manufacturing to health care, banking, law enforcement, retail, restaurants and others — had an abundance of positions to fill.
“We’re looking to hire people ready to work,” Canon Business Process Services Inc. representative Matt Bloomer said, noting the company has openings in a variety of positions, from fabrication to automotive assembly, shipping and receiving and stocking.
Sonia Fry from Graphic Packaging said they are offering full-time and also summer employment at the Kenton area facility that manufactures paper cups and bowls and plastic lids for hundreds of different companies, including popular quick service restaurants familiar to students.
Vollrath said while local unemployment numbers have vastly improved from one year ago during the midst of spring 2020 shutdown, the labor participation rate still has yet to completely come back full force.
“There is a shortage in workers in just about every company I’ve talked with,” he said.
“A day like this is a big deal, in getting people the chance to make these connections in-person again, after the difficult last year we’ve had.”
“This is our very first in-person event in over a year now,” said Allen, who works in the Clark State College admissions office. “It is so nice to be here and to meet with people face-to-face.”
To continue the 3E Campaign, seniors at each of the Logan County high schools and at the Ohio Hi-Point Career Center will be participating in a signing days next week, where they’ll sign certificates with area companies, colleges and universities or with various branches of the military.
“We’re looking forward to next week as well in celebrating with our high school seniors on their future plans,” said Karen Sorreles, Midwest Regional Educational Service Center youth development liaison.