Career Showcase Helps Students Envision their Futures

(Article via The Beacon)

A generation ago, high school students were pushed into the narrow career tracks of college, vocational school or immediate entry into the workforce. Those tracks didn’t overlap, and once a student was on a path, they were often left to maneuver the journey alone.

Students in Ottawa County have the privilege of a better journey. Along with in-school career coaches and school programs aimed at helping kids establish future goals, students have another resource, the Ottawa County Business Advisory Council, which hosted the 10th annual Ottawa County Career Showcase at the Ottawa County Fairgrounds on Oct. 9.

The event connected students, mostly juniors, from five Ottawa County schools with about 30 local businesses and organizations. Students had the opportunity to talk about career options, learn about educational requirements to obtain those jobs, and try hands-on activities to give them a feel for the work.

The event utilized the YouScience career aptitude program to help students recognize career pathways that fit their interests and skills.

Among the businesses was Riders Unlimited which offers equine therapy services. Lucy Bille of Riders Unlimited said the organization offers career opportunities for a number of professions, including special education teachers, mental health workers and physical therapists.

“We’re promoting human service careers because we help people with disabilities,” Bille said.

Sunrise Cooperative talked to students about a unique career opportunity that would help them avoid college tuition and gain a truck. The RISE FFA Career Program is offered to seniors who are active in FFA and interested in a career in agriculture. The program offers a four-year commitment that will expose the student to various jobs within the cooperative, as well as specific training in the job of their choice. One RISE FFA participant each year is given a signing bonus of a Jeep Gladiator truck.

Catawba Island Club South Marina employees were giving hands-on demonstrations to expose students to marine trades.

“We’re showing the process of putting on a valve cover. The students are using torque wrenches and impact wrenches, and we’re teaching them the importance of reading a manual,” said Technician Brandi Strachan. “We lift the cover off, so they can see what’s inside an engine.”

Some of the students arrived at the Ottawa County Career Showcase looking for inspiration on future careers. Others know what they want to do but were looking for advice on reaching their goals. Either way, their eyes were opened to opportunities across the county.

Oak Harbor High School student, Karmela Neiderhouse, said she was looking for businesses that offered careers in the human service field. Nevertheless, she was surprised by what she learned about agricultural opportunities at Sunrise Cooperative.

“My dad is the FFA advisor at Oak Harbor, but I didn’t know about the Sunrise program. That is really great,” she said.

Oak Harbor students Gage Sandwisch and Bob Lewis were both interested in learning more about careers in law enforcement, so they talked with officers at the event.

“I’ve always wanted to be a police officer,” Sandwisch said.

Lewis hopes to one day serve as a K9 officer, so he was thankful for the opportunity to talk to one at the event.

“He told me about all the skills I need,” Lewis said.

From left to right: Katherine Adams, OCIC; Keith Smith, Materion; Chris Singerling, OCIC; Christa Luttmann, Office of Ohio Governor Mike DeWine; Don Douglas, Ottawa County Commissioner; Clay Finken, Erie-Ottawa International Airport.