Jeremy Vernelli, B.F.A.

Exploring Careers

On Wednesday, May 17th four of our amazing students here at TEMS attended a career fair in Waterloo. A career fair is an excellent opportunity for high school students to explore different career options and interact with professionals in their chosen fields. This amazing event hosted over 75 employers and universities. Students were able to chat with professionals who worked in such diverse fields as healthcare, science, construction, agriculture, education, law, technology, aerospace, and skilled trades such as electrical and plumbing. By being able to talk directly with professionals, students could ask questions and make informed decisions about their future careers.
Beomseok was curious about how to become a firefighter here in Canada. He chatted with one firefighter who was impressed with Beomseok's knowledge of firefighting. Turns out, Beomseok’s father is a firefighter in Korea.
Another one of our students, Yeown, was curious about police services. Here in Canada, becoming a police officer is a challenging job, but also one which is respectable and pays an extremely high salary. Yewon, put on a police vest and posed with fellow Waterloo Region Police officers.
A key element to making a career fair fun for teenagers is making it informative and interactive. Many of the professionals here who represented their chosen careers allowed students to try hands-on learning. Each booth provided an activity or task which students could perform which helped them learn more about each profession. This helped attract students’ interest as well as provided them with knowledge about everyday aspects of each chosen profession.
Yunchan was curious about construction and carpentry. When he spoke with a unionized carpenter, the man explained how Yunchan could enter the skill trades. However, Yunchan had his eyes trained on the tools. The carpenter showed Yunchan how to safely use each tool, then allowed Yunchan to use a nail gun. This powerful nail gun shoots a nail directly into wood. No more wasting time with a hammer. In 15 seconds Yunchan could shoot 10 nails into a slab of 4 by 4 wood.
Jiyun was curious about a career in the healthcare industry. By exploring what it takes to become a nurse or a doctor, Jiyun learned about all the years of studying which is necessary. Western University in London, Ontario offers excellent programs in health care. Upon graduating, students can enter the field of nursing which is a highly paid job and in demand here in Ontario.
Overall, our students enjoyed learning about different careers from professionals who live and work in the Waterloo region. Our students got a better understanding of each industry, and they were excited by all the career options ahead of them. A career fair helps students see different career paths they can explore, what qualifications they need for university and how to grow a successful career in each field. Plus, with the many interactive activities our students experienced they felt like they were having fun at an amusement park rather than walking around a boring job fair.

Looking forward to returning next year!

Thanks for reading!