A career fair excited area students Thursday.
The youths from Tipton, Jamestown and California high schools gathered for a Central Missouri Community Action-sponsored (CMCA) event.
"I think it's really quite a neat idea. I see this a lot when I go to FFA events. We'll do this for like National FFA Conventions and stuff, but I've never seen it in California, Missouri. That's pretty impressive to be quite honest. I think it's something new and exciting," California FFA President Dillon Wood said. "I think that they have a really good selection of opportunities I think a lot of other kids would be interested in."
This is the first year the California High School hosted the event. CMCA community organizer Jenn Millard told the Democrat she approached the school board to host the event in California High School since it's one of the bigger schools in the area. Students gathered in the school's gymnasium to meet with local businesses and organizations.
Visitors such as Scholastic, Cargill, Burgers Smokehouse, California Kids LLC, Hitachi Energy, Central Bank, Co-Mo Connect, the City of California, the California Fire Department, Tipton Correctional Facility, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and many more set up booths at the event.
Higher education opportunities like the Missouri Army National Guard, United States Airforce, University of Missouri, Central Methodist University, State Tech, Missouri Welding Institute, Academy of Salon Professionals were present as well.
"I think I enjoy days like this because our students get the opportunity to see multiple different businesses from all around our area, as well as some of the colleges and the military," said California High School Counselor Heather Martin. "They may not get to go to one of these functions that's 30 miles away, so it's just right here."
"Don't be afraid to ask the questions," Martin emphasized to students. "Don't be afraid to go visit these schools. Don't be afraid to put yourself out there. Realize that there's a variety of professions and whatever path you pick is your path, whether it's career, military or college."
Millard developed two graphics counselors could give students going into the Moniteau County Career Fair. The first listed questions they could ask colleges and businesses - either about how they could apply or what opportunities are available to them. The second acted as a guide on how students should prepare for the event, how they should dress for the event, how they should approach business owners and so on. The second graphic had a follow up option as well for teachers to go over with their students in class after the fair.
"Hopefully, (students) were able to hear about some different great career opportunities, and hopefully they're able to learn something new and have some more insight of what they want to do when they grow up," Millard said. "We're just trying to help them make those connections here in Moniteau County."
Democrat photo/Kaden Quinn: Deb Bushman, of Hollen Family Chiropractic LLC, holds up a jar of erasers with the phrase, "Erase away those job worries." Students who guess the exact number of erasers in the jar win a special prize from the business.