Middle School Students Dive into Career Opportunities at Expo

Middle school students from six school districts gathered at the Olde Dominion Agricultural Complex in Chatham on March 15, 2024, for the 12th annual Career ChoICE Youth Expo. This two-day event aims to introduce young learners to diverse employment opportunities available in Southside Virginia. The expo, which also features high school students on the following day, welcomed over 3,000 participants eager to explore their future career paths.

The unique capitalization of “ICE” in “ChoICE” stands for Imagine, Connect, and Explore, emphasizing the event’s goal of broadening students’ horizons regarding local career options. Jessie Vernon, director of employer engagement and experiential learning at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, has been instrumental in organizing the expo since its inception. She noted that for middle school students, the focus is primarily on exposure to the various opportunities available in the region.

On the first day of the event, students eagerly navigated from booth to booth, engaging with multiple employers. The Danville Police Department showcased a police vehicle, a Chevrolet Tahoe, drawing significant interest from attendees. Matt Bell, a spokesperson for the police department, remarked, “We find more and more each year that the kids are interested in law enforcement.” Students posed insightful questions about daily life as an officer, the arrest process, and community engagement.

Vernon highlighted the distinct energy middle schoolers bring to the expo, noting their curiosity and desire to explore all available options. In contrast, high school students, closer to graduation, tend to focus more on specific career fields. “They’ll spend a little more time with the stations they stop at, but they are going to visit fewer areas,” Vernon explained during a brief pause in the bustling event.

The police department has participated in the expo since its beginning, using it as a platform to recruit future officers. Bell acknowledged the differences in how high school and middle school students engage with the event. “It’s a little bit different tempo,” he said, echoing Vernon’s observations about the distinct dynamics of the two age groups.

Additionally, the expo featured hands-on demonstrations, including a station by Sovah Health-Danville, where representatives taught students how to perform CPR. Students were also able to interact with medical residents, who are physicians in training, answering questions about their educational journeys and experiences in the medical field. Tyrell Payne, medical student coordinator at Sovah Health-Danville, stated, “This is just a career expo to help our youth prepare for their future.” He emphasized the importance of encouraging children to consider their education and future aspirations.

This year’s event also attracted new employers, including the Virginia State Police and Gray’s Lambscaping, a company known for innovative landscaping techniques, including using sheep to manage grass at solar farms. “Showing students the potential in this region is one reason I continue to be part of the coordination efforts,” Vernon said. “We want to keep young talent here.”

The Career ChoICE Youth Expo serves as a vital platform for students to connect with local employers, encouraging them to envision their futures and explore career possibilities in a variety of fields. Through interactions with professionals and hands-on experiences, participants gain valuable insights that will help them make informed decisions about their educational and career paths.