High school student’s career paths are paved with passion
“Find out what you like doing best and get someone to pay you for it.”
Katherine Whitehorn
PORT ST. LUCIE – Students on the Treasure Coast don’t just get to stroll along a career pathway. They get to learn how to create, build and navigate it. During the annual Career Connect Conference at the MidFlorida Event Center in February, hundreds of high school students from the tri-county area were shown paths of employment that can lead them to a crossroads of their passions and a career choice.
Hosted by CareerSource Research Coast (CSRC), the event connects high school juniors and seniors with local businesses and educators with hands-on activities in the fields of healthcare, construction, manufacturing, hospitality, art, design, business and financial services.
After checking in students were directed to the event center’s art gallery room for a demonstration by presenting sponsors at A1 Roof Trusses of Fort Pierce. “There are so many varied skills sets we need for our teams. There are opportunities for engineers, manufacturing, logistics, and more.
Showing students these are skills that can afford them to earn a great wage and support their families is key to getting them engaged,” said Jeremy Tichenor, director of design at A1 Trusses.
Like detectives looking for a clue, students then rotated through the rooms investigating their options, taking notes, and trying many of the hands-on activities to help them get a feel for the process. The team from Elite Electric, Plumbing & Air had students measuring pipe and cutting it to size while staff from The Porch Factory engaged them with creating accurate measurements using lasers. Students interested in a medical career path were shown how to read an x-ray and pharmaceutical activities by Indian River State College, along with options in nursing at Keiser University and Cleveland Clinic.
“I have been in Career & Technical Education (CTE) classes for all four years in high school. Coming here and being able to lay brick with cement or even squeeze oranges and package it gives it a real-world appeal. This was the best day ever,” said Port St. Lucie High School senior, Caleb Moore.
Following a lunch provided by the Treasure Coast Food Bank, students gleaned information from the keynote speaker and restaurateur, Kyle Green. Green, owner of Kyle G’s Prime Seafood, shared the secrets to his success to his audience including how he started as a dishwasher when he was their age in Port St. Lucie. “Be a student of your industry, craft, and passion and you will find so many avenues in which to become successful,” he shared.
For information about the Career Connect Conference and other services offered by CSRC, email info@careersourcerc.com.
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About CareerSource Research Coast
CareerSource Research Coast (CSRC) is a private, non-profit, Florida corporation with a board of directors consisting of private businesses, economic development and education representatives, community and state agencies, and elected officials. Members of the board represent the diversity of businesses, organizations and trades that operate in Indian River, Martin and St. Lucie counties. The State of Florida chartered CSRC to create and manage a workforce development service delivery system responsive to the needs of businesses and job seekers. Our certified workforce professionals can be reached by calling 1-866-4U2-HIRE or 1-866-482-4473. Visit www.careersourcerc.com to learn more. An equal opportunity employer/program. TTY/TDD use Florida Relay Service 711.