The spring 2012 Career and Health Fair was well attended by local students last week.
The fair, which was held at the Margaret Patrick Memorial Hall is targeted at local students from Grades 5 to 12 who are encouraged to speak with local professionals about a wide variety of future education and career choices available to them.
Students attending the fair also completed interview sheets with each of the presenters at the 30 booths in attendance.
Interview questions ranged from how long the person has worked in the job, what kind of training and education is required to do the job, to what their worst job was and why.
Lake Babine Nation鈥檚 organized the 2012 fair. Teanne Paulson from the centre said to Lakes District 亚洲天堂 that students from (WKE), the StoreFront School, Decker Lake Elementary School and Lakes District Secondary School attended the fair. 鈥淚t鈥檚 so great to see so many students attending. This fair is held every year and it gives the students ideas for their future careers and shows them what sort of options are available to them. There is also an opportunity for adults to see what is available and there is some job vacancies posted at a number of booths at this year鈥檚 fair,鈥� Paulson said.
Elaine Wiebe, library director from the , who had a booth at the fair, said that she wanted to show students what sort of opportunities there is for those interested in a career at a library.
鈥淚 have had quite a few students coming up and asking me questions,鈥� she said.
A booth set up by Jeff Palm, a conservation officer from 亚洲天堂 Lake, was popular with students.
Palm said that he had been a conservation officer for 10 years. 鈥淚 have been working in 亚洲天堂 Lake for four and a half years now,鈥� he said.
At his booth, Palm had a taxidermied black bear head, that he explained, was seized from a taxidermist in the Vanderhoof area. He explained to Alicia Tom, a Grade 5 student at WKE that hunting young bear cubs is illegal.
Tom, who was filling out an interview sheet on a career as a conservation officer said she was interested in a career working with animals.
Violet Abraham from Lake Babine Nation鈥檚 health department was passing on nutritional advice and advising students about healthy food choices. She had a display of unhealthy snacks showing their fat and sugar content.
Constable Chris Pathin from the was at the fair promoting a career with the RCMP, as well as handing out information on the effects of drugs, alcohol and tobacco to students.
She said she had a number of students interested in a career with the RCMP, which could include police officers, civilian members and public service employees.
The University of Northern British Columbia had a booth at the fair and university representatives explained to students that if they find something they are passionate about, such as science or caring for animals, they can go to university to study for a career in those fields.
Faith Thomas, from the trades division of the Prince George Nechako Aboriginal Employment and Training Association said to Lakes District 亚洲天堂 that the fair is an excellent opportunity for locals to see the options available to them. 鈥淭his is awesome for the community,鈥� she said.
Thomas said she had a booth at the fair to encourage people to follow their dreams.
Local student Brandon Burt, 11, said that while he had not chosen a career path at this point, he found the Health and Career Fair to be very helpful.
鈥淚 haven鈥檛 thought about what I would like to do yet, but I am finding out a lot of good information here,鈥� Burt said.
Jeremiah Tom, aged 14 said he also hadn鈥檛 decided on a career yet, but he added that he enjoyed interviewing professionals at the fair.
Brendan Abreu from the 亚洲天堂 Lake branch of the Royal Bank of Canada said that he was at the fair to advertise two employment positions at the 亚洲天堂 Lake branch, as well as talk to students about career opportunities.
The Royal Bank of Canada is an excellent career choice,鈥� he said, adding that the advice he is giving to students is to not be afraid to follow their dreams.
