LENORA — A record crowd of 800 high school students and teachers from over 30 school districts in northwest and north central Kansas attended the Nex-Generation Career Fair & Expo on Nov. 21, 2017, hosted on the campus of Fort Hays State University. Attending schools included Bennington, Central Plains, Clifton-Clyde, Concordia, Decatur Community, Ellis, Ellsworth, Golden Plains, Goodland, Great Bend, Hays, Hill City, Hoxie, Lakeside, Lincoln, Logan, Natoma, North Ottawa, Oakley, Osborne, Palco, Quinter, Rock Hills, Russell, St. Francis, Sylvan-Lucas, Tescott, TMP-Marian, Trego, and Victoria.
This year’s event featured motivational keynote speaker Bill Cordes, the YOGOWYPI Guy, during the opening session at Beach Schmidt in Sheridan Hall; an Expo in Memorial Union, where students visited one-on-one with area businesses, colleges, and professionals; and two career tracks from which students could choose.
The “General Sessions Track” featured more than 20 different breakout sessions on a variety of careers: marketing, social media, graphic design, photography, insurance, banking, computer technology, sales, plumbing, heating, air conditioning, welding, construction, diesel mechanics, agriculture, entrepreneurship, computer aided drafting, engineering, communications, community development, college preparation, internships, law enforcement, medical, chiropractic, nutrition, fitness and health, massage therapy, and cosmetology.
The “CampMed track” was co-hosted by Ellsworth County Medical Center and provided hands-on stations including a cadaver lab, sports medicine, forensic lab, code blue, field medicine, IV start & injection, sonography, suturing, pharmacy, OB/birthing, radiology, radiation therapy, physical therapy, and chiropractic.
Jacque Beckman, Nex-Generation’s executive director, stated, “The Career Fair & Expo enables us to showcase the types of careers that are available right here in northwest and north central Kansas. It provides a great opportunity for students to spark interest in local communities and build networks between students and business professionals. By building these relationships, we are certain we will instill a positive vision for the students who will remain in and return to the area to prosper.”
Financial supporters included Rush County Memorial Hospital; Cleveland University; NWKLS; Sign Solutions; Fort Hays State University; Nex-Generation; Ellsworth County Medical Center; NWKS Economic Innovation Center; Modern Woodmen Fraternal Financial; Midwest Energy; Cunningham Telephone & Cable; Dane G. Hansen Foundation; Nex-Tech Wireless; Nex-Tech Round-up Program Contributors; and Colby Community College.
For more information about Nex-Generation Round Up for Youth, visit the program on Facebook, on the website www.nex-generation.org, or call 877-567-7872.