February 22, 2024
Hundreds of Prince George High School students were able to get valuable face time with dozens of local employers and learn more about educational opportunities during the school's first-ever career fair.
Prince George High School students talk with representatives from VCU Health Sports Medicine during the school’s first-ever Career Fair on Thursday, February 22, 2024. (PGCPS Photo)
The school's gymnasium was the venue for the morning-long event on Thursday, February 22, 2024, with students traveling between tables staffed by various local businesses, state agencies, military representatives, and more. Event attendees included the Virginia Department of Transportation, VCU Health's LifeEvac medical transport, and a diverse selection of local businesses. The event also provided opportunities for students to learn about job options locally through Prince George County, including local government agencies, police, fire, and EMS.
SEE MORE PHOTOS: PGCPS on Flickr
As students made their way through the gym, tables were set up, highlighting some of the high school's clubs and academic programs, including DECA, the school's award-winning Digital and Social Media Marketing class, and PGHS’ Teachers for Tomorrow program, a Virginia Department of Education initiative that recruits high school students into the teaching profession. In addition, students interested in exploring career options in trades and other fields received valuable insights from Carson's Rowanty Technical Center, Chesterfield's Brightpoint Community College, and the U.S. armed forces. Outside the gym, students could tour VCU Health's LifeEvac helicopter and speak to their experienced medical aviation team to learn more about the world of emergency medical transport.
Prince George High School students got the opportunity to tour the interior of a medical helicopter thanks to VCU Health’s LifeEvac team taking part in the school’s career fair event on February 22, 2024. (PGCPS Photo)
"Exposing students to different opportunities helps them to determine what their future path will look like," PGCPS Coordinator of Career and Technical Education Ashton Girolmo said. "They are learning about various career opportunities; then they can select courses that align with what they see at the fair. It can also help them rule out some things and adjust their path based on what they see."
"We want to make sure that our students have those five C's - critical thinking, collaboration, communication, creative writing, and citizenship - and be able to see how each of these applies as they transition into the real world once they graduate," Prince George High School Principal Matt McAllister said. "We always tell our students we're preparing them for the future, and their future could be here in the room with one or more of the opportunities here."
The career fair took place against the backdrop of Career and Technical Education Month, a month-long celebration during February where schools across America are encouraged to highlight the importance and accomplishments of CTE programs.
"It's vital for our students to have this exposure as part of Career and Technical Education, showing them that there are so many pathways within our backyard, and we have so many wonderful community members willing to donate their time to share their experiences and journeys with our students," Girolmo shared. "This will help our students in the classes they select within our CTE programs, as they go on to Rowanty Technical Center, Brightpoint Community College, the armed services, or other opportunities after graduation."
The event organizers were delighted with the community support as they successfully attracted more than 30 attendees for the school's first career fair. They are hopeful to continue growing this momentum in their future career fair events.
While the career fair highlighted potential job opportunities for students, Prince George High School organizations like DECA were able to market themselves to students as clubs they can get involved with while in school that offer professional skills beneficial in the workplace. (PGCPS Photo)"I am from Prince George County, and this kind of community involvement is what I grew up with," Girolmo remarked. "I have always been impressed with our community support, and it shows through the number of individuals, businesses, and community members who have attended this event and supported us behind the scenes. I appreciate the high school administrative team, our teachers, and staff who have committed many hours to pulling off this event and allowing our students to experience these opportunities."
"The community support has always been fantastic, and it's great to see that continue here from what I have seen at N.B. Clements Junior High School to here with the career fair," McAllister stated. "The Prince George County community has always been very supportive, and it's great to see that cross over to this event we could host for our students. We look forward to boosting our vendor count even more as word gets out about this event, hoping to reach over 40 attendees next time."
To see more images from the high school's career fair, visit the division's Flickr channel at https://www.flickr.com/photos/195726575@N08/albums.