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Tec-Voc organizes inaugural Career Expo

March 20, 2023 News Story
Tec-Voc Career Expo

The two gyms at Tec-Voc High School were bustling with students' energy and optimism as the spaces filled with opportunities on March 15, 2023. Ninety Manitoba organizations set up their booths at the Career Expo and met Grade 9 to 12 students with career information, advice and job prospects.

Tracy Darbyshire, Career Education Specialist and Math department head, and her team successfully planned and executed the first-ever career expo at Tec-Voc High School.

The planning process started in November with the goal to have as many as a hundred organizations attend the expo. Once employers began sending confirmations, the team addressed logistics to ensure they could have the required spaces for the event. They used the Lower Gym and the Hornet Dome, giving each trade area ample space.

The Career Expo had representation from all industries, including heavy trade areas, Universities, the RCMP, Canadian Armed Forces, Winnipeg Police, Manitoba Conservations, and more.

The expo was an important opportunity for students to get to know what career options are available to them. Meeting the employers and learning what skills are required to apply for those positions added a new dimension to career planning, with the ease of meeting representatives from 90 different professions in one day.

"Starting from scratch was a challenge, but I was determined to make this career expo a reality for our students. It was important that our students get to explore different career paths and understand the employment possibilities," said Darbyshire.

"It was rewarding to see our students engaging with representatives from various industries and learning about the possibilities ahead. I am proud of what we accomplished, and I hope this event will inspire our students to pursue their dreams and explore their potential."

Darbyshire revealed that a few of the employers were hiring and students could be offered summer jobs. The technical vocational areas at the school give their students a leg up, and they already have some unique skill sets. Such students can work their way up quickly within the companies that hire them.

"The career expo is a great starting point, especially for those uncertain about their career path. Although I know I want to become a commercial pilot, exploring different areas has given me a better understanding of the industry. The expo has also provided me with valuable networking opportunities, and I connected with the Winnipeg Airport Authority’s booth to learn more about entry-level jobs in aviation. Overall, the career expo has been an excellent resource for me, and hope all students took advantage of it," said Manveet Dhalival, a Grade 11 student.

Furthermore, Darbyshire added that students could always visit the Career Education room to ask questions and make appointments with them to plan their next steps after high school and get tips on resume writing.

Lyle Walld, Technical Analyst, spoke about his company Alpha's multifaceted nature, offering business IT services and fun tech products such as 3D printers and TuckTec folding kayaks. Wald emphasized the company's openness and willingness to consider work placements and the training needs of potential candidates.

"A career expo is an excellent event for students to get their names out there and meet people face-to-face in an increasingly digital world," said Wald.

"We primarily like to hire based on the ability to learn more than pre-requisite training. We are passionate about hiring smart people who are passionate about what they do, and hence we love to come to such events."

The Bingo card that Tracy and her team created helped students move around to different booths. Once the students completed the Bingo card, they were entered into a draw with prizes from industry partners who had given donations. The Bingo card helped students start a conversation if they didn't know what questions to ask.

"It's all about believing in yourself and believing in Metis. We are sharing and discussing various types of assistance, practicums, training programs and funding for education that our organization offers with the students today," said Donna Desmarais, Partnership Officer at Metis Employment and Training.

"Metis Employment and Training has partnered with various other companies to provide summer employment opportunities, digital marketing courses, training programs for energy advisor, nursing and heavy equipment operators. We also have a significant push towards training Metis people to get training while being employed in daycares."

Fiori Berhe, a Grade 12 student, enjoyed meeting the specialist at the sound engineering booth and learning more about their training program after graduation. Fiori actively participates in all live events at the high school as a specialist who fine tunes all types of sound and music using faders on the soundboard. She is considering a career in either sound engineering or dental technician, and this event has helped her a lot in getting information about one career prospect.

Tec Voc Career Expo turned out to be a great success, all departments of Tec-Voc High School helped in organizing it. Culinary Arts and Pastry Arts provided lunch and soup for company representatives at a reasonable cost, Graphics department created banners, Photography department took photos at the event and the school’s knowledge keeper Grandfather Vern Dano was encouraging students to meet all company representatives.

Overall, the day provided a unique opportunity for the students to learn about different career paths, and employers were able to meet some of their future talented employees.

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