News

 “’The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.’— Steve Jobs

 Treasure Coast, Florida – High school students from the Treasure Coast got a chance to discover career pathways they may not have been aware of at the Career Connect Conference, presented by CareerSource Research Coast. The event, held at the MidFlorida Event Center on April 6, aimed to inspire and educate students about career opportunities in the technology, manufacturing, skilled trades, entrepreneurship, healthcare, and construction sectors.

Indian River State College, one of the leading educational institutions on the Treasure Coast, was the title sponsor for the Career Connect Conference. The college provided valuable information about the sectors that interested the students and how they can help achieve their career goals. In addition, Dr. Nicholas Brown provided the keynote speech to the students following their rotations through the breakout sessions.

The breakout sessions are where the students got their collective hands dirty…some literally. Students traversed the floorplan of the MidFlorida Event Center to get hands-on experiences and a taste of what their career field is like beyond what they read in books or have seen on video. Students were engaged by St. Lucie County, Level 4 Telecom, NextEra Energy FPL, Indian River State College, Keiser University, Pen Dailey Consulting, Maverick Boats, Perricone Farms, Cemex and Florida Masonry Foundation, Play Treasure Coast Sports Tourism, and Pursuit Boats

A highlight of the event for the students looking to be entrepreneurs themselves was the motivational speaker, Kelley Higney, inventor of Bug Bite Thing, who shared her inspiring story about the process of creating a product and being chosen by Lori Greiner with her golden ticket on ‘Shark Tank’ with the students. Higney also participated in the breakout sessions, sharing her knowledge and expertise on entrepreneurship and innovation.

CareerSource Research Coast, a leading workforce development organization in the region, organized the event to help bridge the skills gap in the local job market. According to CareerSource Research Coast, the event was a great success, with students showing enthusiasm and interest in the various career opportunities presented at the conference.

“We are thrilled with the turnout and the positive feedback we received from the students,” said Brian Bauer, President/CEO of CareerSource Research Coast. “Our goal was to provide students with a forum to educate and inform them about the many career paths available, and to help them understand the skills necessary to be successful in these industry sectors highlighted here today.”

The Career Connect Conference is just one of the many initiatives undertaken by CareerSource Research Coast to connect local job seekers with employers and to help build a robust workforce in the region.