For the second year in a row, Buddy Taylor has hosted a career fair to introduce students to career opportunities beyond attending college.
“We want our kids to know that Flagler County has so much to pursue if they want to,” said BTMS Principal Kara Cronk.
The Oct. 23 fair is co-sponsored by the Flagler County Education Foundation and Palm Coast Junior Chamber, and this year more than 50 vendors will be participating, including Flagler County, Palm Coast, several first responders, Tables for other trade industries and programs were also included.
Cronk said this year they tried to include programs that are featured in high schools, such as the Junior ROTC program and Matanzas High School’s culinary program. The high school offers several programs that allow students to graduate with certifications and get a job right away.
“What we wanted was for students and parents to be fully aware of all the opportunities at both high schools,” she said.
She said the school’s high school program allows middle school students to talk to high school students participating in the program, allowing students to make informed decisions before enrolling in the program. said.
“One thing we know as educators is that not everyone can earn a college degree, and that’s okay. We’ll be okay,” Cronk said.
Several tables had interactive displays for students to try out. Lauren Ramirez of Salus Medical Training brought training dummies, fake blood and drugs so students could try both drawing blood and administering medication using a needle.
“This is aimed at students, adults or anyone looking to enter the medical profession,” Ramirez said. Salus offers training and certifications for a variety of careers, including phlebotomy, medical assisting, and various first aid certifications.
Cronk said the goal was to draw a diverse group of participants to appeal to all students, not just kids going on to college.
“It’s great that kids can be exposed to so many different things right out of high school if they want to,” Cronk said. “That’s one of our goals is to show kids that there are different career paths for all types of students.”
