Expo to feature more than 60 careers

By Bob Williams | The Daily Journal

Published 07:30 a.m., April 18, 2007

The goal of Thursday’s Career Expo is to provide a “one-stop shop” for anyone looking for a job or career advice, though it is geared toward students.

More than 60 education and business institutions will have booths at the expo, scheduled from 3:30 to 7 p.m., Thursday, at the Fergus Falls High School gym.

This year, in an attempt to encourage more parental involvement, the expo coincides with parent-teacher conferences.

“When parents come to conferences, we want them to come over to the gym and take a peek at what the students are going to be able to experience. It’s going to be great and a good time to visit with all these people,” Harold Stanislawski, Economic Improvement Commission Director, said.

Parents of high school juniors are encouraged to attend high school counselor Dave Thorpe’s presentation, "Senior Year 101,” at 5:30 or 7 p.m. in the high school media center.

“This is an informal discussion for parents of current juniors seeking information on grade 12. We go over the calendar for the year, activities, responsibilities of being a senior and a question-and-answer period,” Thorpe said.

“We also talk about the college and scholarship application processes and college visits. This presentation will primarily focus on parents of the first child going through high school,” he said. “There is nothing like going through it yourself. I could have parents who have had a child graduate give the presentation.”

A coalition of groups organized the Expo, which started as an outgrowth of the Workforce Development Council.

“The Chamber, the school district and many businesses got together to say we can pull this off and make it happen,” Stanislawski said.

A former high school principal and counselor, John Klinnert, owner of JK Sports, is attending the Expo as a means to support the community.

“Even if I don’t have any openings, I believe it is still important that we answer questions of the potential student who is looking at a possible future in screenprinting and I believe it is important to be there for the kids if they have questions about business operations,” he said.

Beverly Thompson, Wal-Mart personnel manager, is attending the career Expo as a place to get the word out on current and future openings as well as find potential employees.

“I will be presenting basic information as to how people can apply online or come into the store and use our kiosk,” she said. “Our store will be a supercenter in 2008, so job opportunities will be available not only this spring — we’ll have more opportunities in the future.”

Stanislawski and other members of the council want to make young people are aware of career opportunities in the region.

"We have more information today about good career choices for young people than ever before," says Rick Schara, Business Services Specialist with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. "Our department's labor market information (LMI) folks use statistics, trends, employment numbers and other data to paint a picture of our region's future."

The LMI reports have wonderful data on high pay/high demand careers, he said, pointing the way to types of jobs that hold the most promise in this region.

Technical fields and professional pursuits highlight the speakers and demonstrations at the Expo. Manufacturing representatives from around the region will also give presentations. Robotics will be on display in a battlebots arena demonstration and Charley Johnson, KVLY general manager will be speaking about careers in broadcasting and communications.

Expo speaker Mike Lehn of Project Lead the Way, is visiting to express the need for more engineering students. Project Lead the Way is a broad curriculum that emphasizes math and engineering in the classroom.

Headlining the event’s speakers during the student-only session is Fergus Falls high school alumnus Dr. Heidi Manning, Associate Professor at Concordia College, Moorhead and atmospheric researcher for NASA.

“I am going to be talking about what I do now in my job and what kinds of skills are needed,” Manning said. “It is important to encourage students to study math not because it opens so many doors, but if you don’t continue in math, many doors are closed.”

One of Manning’s goals is to be a role model for young women.

“There aren’t a lot of women in physics or graduate school. I want to let young women know it’s OK. You’re not an anomaly.”

Dr. Manning spent last summer at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center doing research focused on building mass spectrometers that would be used to explore other objects in the solar system.

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