More than 700 students from grades 8-12 were on the Barton Community College campus Friday, learning about careers and educational opportunities. Karly Little, director of Early College Opportunities, said students and advisors from several area schools attended, including some local home schools.
“We totally changed the format this year,” Little said. Students chose “tracks” of exploration that included:
• Commercial Driver’s License, Welding, Carpentry, Plumbing
• Agriculture, Ag Mechanics, Natural Gas, Business
• Nursing, Phlebotomy, Adult Healthcare, Medical Support
• Music, Performing Arts, Early Childhood Education, and Education
• Criminal Justice, Corrections, Network Security Specialist, Emergency Medical Services
High school students were on campus in the morning and eighth-graders arrived in the afternoon. At the end of the day, Barton Ambassadors offered a “college life” panel and answered questions about what it’s like to be a student at Barton.
“It was a super high-energy day, and we had so much fun hosting!” Little said. “This was our eighth annual Career Fair – with two years going virtual – and it was bigger and better than ever before.”
Some students already know what they want to do after high school, while others were just getting an idea of what is available. Instructors showed the students some of Barton’s career education labs but also talked about what to expect in various fields of employment – including potential salary ranges.
Welding instructor Jacob Streit said someone with solid welding skills can earn “good money, wherever you go.”
“You can’t learn (welding) out of a book,” Streit said, inviting students to don safety equipment and try the plasma cutter.
Many of the programs involve hands-on instruction. Students exploring medical careers found themselves intubating mannequins and those who stopped by Early Childhood educator Rhonda Wertz’s classroom were exposed to games that teach fine motor skills and help develop the brain.
“A lot of people think that we are babysitters. We are not,” Wertz told the students, describing different careers in caring for children from birth to 8 years old. “We are bona fide teachers.” Wertz and others also described the different levels of education available. Students can start by earning a certificate and continue to an associate degree or a four-year degree.
Early Childhood Education can be applied to many fields, from cruise ship activity directors to ambulance drivers, police officers and lawyers, she noted. And since most of the students will one day have children of their own, the skills taught in her programs can also be put to use in their personal lives.
Over in Cristi Gale’s information technology classroom, students met Wyatt Cobb, CEO of SOFTWarfare LLC. The business headquartered in Prairie Village has plans to establish the first build-out phase of a micro-modular edge data center in Barton County.
But Cobb’s advice to young students wasn’t necessarily to choose IT as a career. Instead, he encouraged them to explore their options and pay attention. “Look at someone in your life who is healthy and happy and enjoys what they do,” he said. Then set goals and “accomplish your dreams.”
