N

Junior and senior students at Coffee County Central High School were able to participate in a Career Expo Wednesday, Feb. 21. The event welcomed nearly 30 area businesses to interact with students and inform them of the potential career opportunities available for them in Manchester and Coffee County.

The district’s Career Technical Education Director Richard Skipper said it was the first year for the event.

“We have gotten to a time where industry and businesses have finally figured out that their success is going to be to build their own and so over the last several years I have had multiple industries reach out to me and say hey, can I talk to your seniors…” Skipper said.

Rather than host several small information sessions for students with area businesses and industry, Skipper opted to have one large event that could accommodate every interested business at the same time.

“On that front end it allowed me to kind of get some guidance to the students, hey this is what you are looking for, here are the groups that are going to be here, have long-term conversations about what is available in your hometown so if you go to school or after you go to school or if you go get a certificate, those jobs are here,” he said.

Participants ranged from The Coffee County Sheriff’s Department to Nissan to the Coffee County School District itself.

“It is important for the kids to see more about what we do,” school SRO officer Tristan Collins said during the event. “We show them some equipment and answer any questions they have in case they want to get into a career in law enforcement.”

Collins said it is not unusual for the department to have openings for a corrections officer at the Coffee County Jail, and it can be a good option for those interested in a law enforcement career to start there before being promoted to a road officer.

Chasity Fouch, workforce development supervisor at Nissan Decherd said it was important for the automotive manufacturer to participate in the Coffee County Schools Career Expo.

“For Decherd’s purpose, this year our goal is to expand to Coffee County for our work-based learning program,” she said. “So for us to be here to be able to advertise for those upcoming juniors and those seniors that are going to be there, and from the HR and talent acquisition side just to advertise we are local and just build that workforce of the future.”

Krista Cole, director of federal programs and secondary education for Coffee County Schools, said there are opportunities at the school district some students might not be aware of.

“There is such a high need for teachers, bus drivers and assistants and this is our community, we would love to keep people local because there are so many opportunities,” she said.

Cole said Coffee County Schools is one of the largest, if not the largest employer in Coffee County and sometimes students want to venture off away from home rather than look at opportunities in their own community.

“We have a lot to offer and I am not sure they know that unless we become visible and share that with them,” Cole said.

Senior Carson Sherrill said he was enjoying the Career Expo.

“I think it is a new and very great thing they are doing, giving kids an opportunity to explore careers,” he said.

Fellow senior Cherish Owens disagreed that the event was beneficial for all students.

“I feel like there needs to be more diversity in the selection of career choices,” she said.

Owens said she is planning to study veterinary medicine once she graduates, and she would have liked to see a local veterinary office represented during the event.

Skipper said that in years past he has welcomed four or five businesses and industries at a time to speak with seniors in the school’s theater, but it was time consuming and limited to certain students.

“We want to give everybody an opportunity,” he said. “Ultimately everything that we are doing, everything that we are trying to provide for our kids, is an option or an opportunity to have a career in something.”

“We just have to help them figure out what that something is and it is best if we can help them figure out that something needs to be something they enjoy doing,” Skipper added.