Expo opens teens’ eyes to local career opportunities

Dalondo Moultrie | The Seguin Gazette

Jose Soria, 13, still has time to figure out what he wants to do with the rest of his life but he’s already thinking about it.

He hoped his presence Wednesday at the third annual Seguin Youth Career Expo would help him hash it all out. And, he found it interesting to explore career and educational opportunities at the expo, Jose said.

“I think it’s cool to learn about new jobs,” he said.

The teen was among scores of his classmates from Barnes Middle School who attended the expo Wednesday afternoon. He planned to use the event to help him determine what his focus will be at the next educational level.

And that’s one of the reasons the Seguin Economic Development Corporation holds the expo, said Jessica Dersen, Seguin Economic Development Corporation industry and workforce development manager, who helped coordinate the event.

Since eighth-grade students have to select their career and technical education pathways before high school, the expo provides hands-on career exposure to help guide their academic choices, Dersen said. It helps them make informed decisions about their possible choices in high school, she said.

“It helps them understand what’s out there,” Dersen said. “It’s not so much a job fair as it is career exploration. Industry awareness is what I’d call it.”

The economic development corporation and its sponsors Schaeffler, Caterpillar and Johnson Controls invited to the expo more than 800 eight-grade students from Seguin, Navarro and Marion ISDs. More than 25 area businesses and organizations showed off opportunities in their industries and educational institutions.

The event aimed to teach students about possible career and educational opportunities in their community, Dersen said.

A good number of students showed interest in her field, Seguin Police Department Evidence Forensic Supervisor Sarah Wilson said.

“They’re asking a lot of questions. They want to know what forensics is,” she said. “We talk to them about education. It’s not just criminal justice based. It’s biology, chemistry, statistics.”

Students were intrigued to know about the on-the-job education and continual learning required in her field, Wilson said. Students appeared intrigued and that pleased the forensic supervisor.

“We’re excited to educate young minds,” Wilson said.

The Seguin Economic Development Corporation sees the expo as a gateway to future possibilities. Students engaging with professionals, witnessing demonstrations and taking deeper dives into varied opportunities can open their eyes to well-paying jobs locally.

Creating a pipeline for students to enter the local workforce and bolster the local talent pool is part of her job, Dersen said.

The expo helps in achieving the goal, Seguin Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Josh Schneuker said.

“The Seguin Youth Career Expo is a crucial event for Seguin’s future workforce,” he said. “By connecting eighth-grade students with local businesses and professionals, we’re helping them make informed choices about CTE (career and technical education) pathways and future educational opportunities. We hope students are inspired by the range of careers available in their own backyard.”

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