Job fair shows pupils options

Starting life after high school often comes sooner than many students realize, and a career fair at Evans High School on Thursday gave them a head start on their post-graduation days.

//

Representatives of 18 local businesses set up shop to answer questions and to tell students and their parents about the kinds of employment opportunities at their companies.

"Pathways to a Career" was geared toward high-school students who will continue their educations at technical colleges or go directly into the workforce after graduation.

Middle-school pupils who plan to take vocational classes in high school also were encouraged to attend.

Delores Williams took her granddaughters, Alecia and Ashley Allen, to the career fair.

"We stopped in all the booths," said Williams.

The two Greenbrier Middle School pupils said the fair encouraged them to consider job possibilities that previously had not occurred to them.

"There's a lot of things that you can do," said Ashley, 11, a sixth-grader.

Eighth-grader Alecia, 14, said representatives of Augusta Technical College and the Columbia County Schools Career Resource Centers told her what kind of classes she would need to take to fulfill her dream of becoming a pediatrician.

Brian Cook, 12, and his mother, Kathy Cook, visited the John Deere Commercial Products table.

The Greenbrier Middle sixth-grader said he would like to test drive tractors for the company one day. Brian also said he was interested in a farming, mechanical or carpentry career.

"It's nice to see what's out there. It gives the kids opportunities to hear about different things," said his mother.

Michael Canady, the Columbia County school system's director of career and technology education, said he would like to make the job fair an annual event.

"This is a great first effort for us," he said.

Chris Baum, the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce director of programs, agreed.

"Not everybody wants to go or can go immediately to college after high school," she said.

The Chamber and the Junior Achievement of Georgia Inc. Augusta District sponsored the event.