Junction City students, community network with companies during first day-time career fair

A student clicks a pen to fill out a form for a company Jan. 23 during Junction City High School's first day-time career fair. The fair featured over 30 vendors.
A student clicks a pen to fill out a form for a company Jan. 23 during Junction City High School's first day-time career fair. The fair featured over 30 vendors.

For the first time, Junction City students were able to attend a career fair during school hours Jan. 23.

The fair hosted more than 30 companies and organizations that spoke with students and community members about resumes, job requirements, application criteria and more.

Deneen Miller, coordinator for the parental involvement group and a special education teacher in Junction City schools, said the fair was made possible because a student asked.

“She wanted to know what she needed [to do], ‘how can I get a job?’” Miller said. “And she not only wanted careers, she wanted mental health because she said there are kids here that have problems and they need a place to go to and talk to. Maybe (the companies here) can open doors for them so they can find that avenue to go talk to someone.”

Students from 12th grade to 6th grade visited the fair from the morning until school ended. Miller said afterward, elementary aged students were able to come visit.

Miller said when she was going to school, she never had the opportunity to go to a career fair. Instead, she headed straight for college and figured out her future there.

Having the fair during the day allowed students to easily access the information and allowed them to network with professionals. Miller also said it allowed students to get to know what companies are available to them so they can give back to the community.

“Even if they don’t want to say, there are companies here that that’s just a branch, they can go someplace else, but it gives them the opportunity to know there’s something for them to do,” she said. “They can improve themselves, and they tell them what they need to do in order to get in their company. I think it’s very important.”

Miller said there will be another career fair next year and hopes it will be bigger and better in 2021.

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