Students get look at careers offered by local employers
1 Apr 2023
News, Navarro ISD, Marion ISD, Seguin ISD, SEDC, Career Day
Dalondo Moultrie The Seguin Gazette
With definite plans for his future, Navarro High School senior Eric Solis benefited from attending Seguin Career Day at Seguin High School.
The teen visited booths with representatives from military and law enforcement agencies because he hopes to one day join the Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Border Patrol.
“My dad was a cop; he was military police,” Solis said. “I want to stay home and get the best of both worlds.”
Seguin Career Day, an interactive meeting of high school students and local businesses, took place Thursday at Seguin High School. The event sponsored by the Seguin Economic Development Corporation put Seguin ISD, Navarro ISD and Marion ISD students in front of about 20 employers to try to ensure long-term connections between the groups in the Seguin area, the Seguin Economic Development Corporation said in a release.
“Seguin Career Day helps to close the gap by bringing employers and students together,” it read.
Employers showcased their companies’ operations, career pathways and skill sets required at their organizations and in their industries. Organizers of Seguin Career Day wanted to encourage students to explore their interests while also giving them chances to translate those interests to employment opportunities.
“Seguin Career Day is a great opportunity for our students to meet our local employers and learn more about potential careers in our community,” said Rick Bough, Seguin ISD director of Career and Technical Education. “We appreciate the chance to work together with Navarro ISD, Marion ISD, and the Seguin Economic Development Corporation to make this day happen. We look forward to the positive outcome this event will have for our students, local industry and our community.”
Seguin Career Day was set up like a job fair. Some participating employers offered chances for high schoolers to leave the event with great job prospects in hand.
Caterpillar in Seguin was one such employer, said Brenda Mercado, a Caterpillar talent acquisition specialist.
“We have created a position strictly for high school students,” she said. “They are guaranteed a position if they pass the background and drug screen and go through two weeks of paid training.”
The manufacturer is big on recruiting fresh talent to build perfect products, Mercado said. Attending the Career Day is one way to funnel local talent to the company with hopes of keeping such employees around for the long haul, she said.
“We’re looking to get them in right away,” Mercado said. “We just want fresh talent.”
Seguin High School 12th-grade student Neveah Avila visited Caterpillar’s booth and said she plans to sign up for the program Mercado discussed. She plans to work for Caterpillar for a while and then go to college with some experience on her resume, Avila said.
It all creates a synergy beneficial to students, businesses and the community, said Josh Schneuker, Seguin Economic Development Corporation executive director.
“The Seguin Career Day is a great opportunity for the students within all three school districts,” he said. “This event will create a conduit between the businesses that need employees and the students looking for career opportunities in the Seguin area. This is also a great opportunity for our graduates that are going off to college to see that Seguin has a lot to offer when they get their degree.”
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