Representatives from the Eastern Water District will share career opportunities with students at the Nori University and Career Fair held at the Soboba Sports Complex on September 26th. Valley News/Luiseño Indians Soboba Band Photo
Luiseño Indian Soboba Band
Valley news feature
More than 100 students gathered in the Soboba Sports Complex gymnasium to learn about the benefits of higher education and the various career opportunities at Noli Indian School’s College and Career Fair held on September 26th. Visited over 30 shared vendors.
Soboba Indian Reservation School also invited students from Sherman Indian High School in Riverside to interact with vendors throughout the afternoon. Students were asked to create a schedule based on their interests and spent 15 minutes at each table across six rotations.
Nori chose to hold this annual event early in the academic year to give students exposure to a variety of universities ahead of open recruitment month in October.
All Noli students in grades 6-12 receive a 20-minute consultation session before their fourth period class to discuss their current grades, assignments, and future goals. Sonia Modesto, who teaches special education and serves as one of the grade-level advisor teachers, said the annual fair plays a big role in the instructional process as students explore all options and opportunities.
“I think it’s so amazing and moving that these vendors take time out of their day to share that with students,” said Modesto, who played a key role in hosting the event. he said. “In the advisory, we encourage students to reflect and discuss what they learned that day, what they were interested in, what they enjoyed, and what didn’t bother them. It’s fascinating and interesting to get feedback. It also helps us plan for next year.”
Students took their seats in the gymnasium bleachers and were greeted by Alex “Panda” Armendariz, California State University, San Bernardino’s admissions and outreach recruiter. “This event provides an opportunity to learn about what is available. Take advantage of having the opportunity to speak to the people who have made time for you to be here today,” he said. Ta.
Four other universities were represented and shared what each campus has to offer in terms of Native American studies and student life. Mount San Jacinto College, a local community college, shared information about adult education courses, non-credit programs for career development, and Native American student success/support services. Representatives from the University of Redlands and California State University in Fullerton and San Marcos answered many questions from students and distributed numerous handouts.
To further help students make the right decisions, California State University, Fullerton is offering a fall webinar series during the open registration period from October 1st to December 2nd, and on October 26th. We offer free campus tours. Seniors are encouraged to visit calstate.edu/. For more information, apply or visit Fullerton.edu.
The Electricians Union gave a demonstration on the types of jobs available in this field, and the AUMT Institute shared its background in phlebotomy. Temik Midwifery and the California Institute for Nurse Education shared details about careers in the medical field, and several branches of the military briefed students on recruitment.
Coast Guard recruiter Caleb Svitenko served in the U.S. Navy for six years before joining the Coast Guard six years ago. He said those who join the force have often already done their research and are ready to serve in this very special branch.
Eastern Municipal Water District has many career paths for students to consider, as does GRID Alternatives, which offers a variety of jobs available in the rapidly growing solar power industry.
Entrepreneur and real estate agent David Borja Castaneda was able to explain various aspects of the real estate business to the students who asked a variety of questions. He revealed that he had a full-time job at a car company, but he changed jobs because he wasn’t getting the income he wanted. He enjoys being self-employed, but said it’s not easy. He added that it is important to be a “people person” and have compassion and good listening skills to be successful. Chloe Trosper, a senior at Sherman Indian High School, is interested in becoming a designer, so Castaneda asked her to explain what a stager does and how it can have a big impact on home sales. I explained how it would be given. “Real estate and design go hand in hand,” he told Chloe.
Anthony Luna Trujillo always gives one of the most popular presentations in the stylish culture business. He narrated how he started his graphic design business with the help of his family in 2015 when he was a fourth year student at Noli University. He is a self-taught artist and graphic designer who comes up with creative designs and reproduces them on items such as decorative boards. , T-shirts, hats, stickers, and his new coloring book series. He has been working as a firefighter for the past seven years and always finds time on his days off to fill many orders. “I started Stylish Culture with my family because of the investment my parents made in me. It started with image and ended with legacy,” Trujillo said. They currently have a son, Tucut Trujillo, who was born on June 29th. “I love this job,” he said. Active on Instagram @stylishculture15.
Robert Young, a funeral director with Inland Memorial Funeral Home in Hemet, explained the variety of jobs that exist in the industry. With strong ties to Native American culture, the company is well-known among local students.
Tyler Topping of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department brought Leia, a purebred bloodhound, to the event, and she quickly became a hit with students and staff. He explained that his kindergarten through ninth-grade partner is trained to search for missing people, not drugs, guns or bombs, and that she is very good at the job. Leia was very friendly and gave us hugs and tummy rubs from the crowd. Topping explained that when it’s time to hit the trail, she puts on the vest and she’s fully dressed and in work mode.
The California Indian Manpower Consortium provides employment and training services and other related services to Indians and Native Americans. Coastline Beauty College in Hemet offers cosmetology and manicure certifications to those 18 and older with a high school diploma. Instructor Mina Price is also a former student, and admissions officer Jessica Crane said the school recruits a significant number of students to work there. They also shared with students that the university offers discounted prices on salon services and special prices for prom and homecoming events.
Nori science teachers Jay D’Agostino and Sabrina Sobel Smith, both of whom had previous careers at SeaWorld, discussed the different types of jobs available in the field of marine biology. Smith shared scuba diving equipment and how it works, and D’Agostino had samples and photos of many marine creatures. He said there are plenty of internships and entry-level jobs at aquariums and other locations where workers can learn the basics of the business.
Branch bankers Rosa Guardian and Tracy Bannister work for PNC Bank, the sixth largest bank in the country but the first in Hemet. Their message to students was mainly about the importance of financial literacy and the fact that PNC offers internships to college students to learn more about banking business. “It may not seem important to them right now, but having a good relationship with your bank is important,” Bannister says. The Guardian said the bank has all kinds of positions, from the business side to the customer service side, and shared that PNC is very keen to expand from within. Bannister agreed, saying that career development is very important and that banks share a motto of “employee-led, management-led” and offer many incentives.
Members of Soboba Casino Resort shared details about what goes into marketing and the different skill sets they are looking for. Several departments at Soboba Indian Health Clinic were able to share what they need to work in the fields of dentistry, optics, pharmacy, and health/behavioral health.
Cecilia Tsai was an optometry resident and had lots of equipment available for students to explore the world of optometry. She answered questions about eye function and disease, and what it takes to get into this field.
Dental assistant Liz Martinez explained that being a hygienist offers a lot of flexibility and freedom as you can work as many times as you like and in different dental offices. “It’s been very rewarding for me. I love it and enjoy the patients,” Martinez said. On Martinez’s table was a smile kit consisting of toothpaste, toothbrush, floss and lip balm.
Students received lots of other giveaways from vendors, including candy, water bottles, pens, T-shirts, notepads, stickers, and more.
“I would have to say that the highlight for me every year at this event is seeing the students work so hard,” Modesto said. “They become very curious and interested in what the participating universities and career representatives have to share.”
