“We’re here to show kids it’s okay to work with your hands,” said Jacob Howell, who was at the career fair representing Zima Automotive. “You don’t have to wear a tie and dress up, we want to show kids it’s okay to build stuff, fix stuff, for a living.”
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Amy Donahoe, Director of Workforce Development for the Chamber of Greater Springfield, said last week students were given tips on how to talk to employers in order to prepare them for the expo.
“We talked about things like eye contact and making sure to keep your phone away,” Donahoe said.
On Thursday, students were then able to put their new interviewing skills to the test by speaking with business owners. Students like Makenna Hooten, from South Vienna Middle School, said she was excited to learn about all of the career opportunities in the area.
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“I’m still not sure what I want to do when I grow up,” Hooten said. “I’m thinking about either joining the Air Force or being a vet.”
Hooten said she was happy to have had the chance to learn about what level of education she would need for both career paths.
“It’s good to know - in case I change my mind,” Hooten said.
Howell said while there are all kinds of different career fields for students to look into - there is one message he thinks every business should share with students.
“Stay in school,” Howell said. “You can’t get ahead in any field unless you have some kind of schooling background, some kind of certificate, something.”
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