Career and Technical Education students attend job fair and workshop

  • Students walking on campus.
  • Two girls looking at a job application.
  • A girl filling out a job application.
  • A boy talking to a corrections officer about a job.
  • A group of students walking around a room.
  • A group of students at a job fair.
  • A group of students talking to a representative.
  • A group of students talking to an Army representative.
  • A black table.
  • A blue table with water bottles.
  • A table with a camouflage cloth.
  • A table with information packets.
  • A table with information packets and giveaways.
  • A table with cosmetology samples.
  • Flyers on a table.
  • A table with a championship belt.

Companies send representatives to Valhalla campus for recruiting session

The Center for Career Services hosted a job fair and workshop in early April to assist students in furthering their career path. The fair brought in representatives of more than two-dozen businesses, branches of the military and local colleges to offer insights into their organizations.

“I was able to provide general information about the Army,” said Sergeant First Class Adam Rivera, the Assistant Section Chief for the New York Army National Guard. “I found the students to all be very polite, and the fact that there was a teacher with every group to assist was a nice addition. It showed how much the teachers cared about their students' futures.”

The day before the job fair, 76 Career and Technical Education students attended a 45-minute workshop where they learned basic job interviewing skills and proper etiquette. A discussion on Enclothed Cognition was held where students learned about symbolic meaning and the psychological experience of wearing the appropriate business attire. They then created a pocket pitch planner to help prepare them for any questions they may want to ask and how to answer common questions they may receive during an interview. It contained information on who they are, what they do, and what they want to do.

“It was a fun activity that the students took part in. They were each given this paper that they folded into a small book. They then wrote down questions they feel are important to them as well as answers about themselves that will help them get through the interviewing process,” Work-Based Learning Coordinator Tracy Reeves said. 

During the workshop, they learned the importance of a good first impression and how to communicate effectively with potential employers. They also learned how to prepare an elevator pitch and how to use it correctly. 

“I think the job fair and workshop were helpful because they help people get on track with what their options are. It helped me with meeting potential employers since I’m looking for a job for my anticipated gap year. I noticed lots of opportunities available,” said Aidan Walkin, a senior at Pelham High School and a student in the Animal Science program.

During the job fair, representatives spoke about the companies they work for by providing information on what their organization offers the public as well as their employees. They told stories about their own personal experiences and growth within the company and why the students may want to consider joining their team.

“I’ve been with Epic Health Care Management for six years and have been growing with the company. We have a variety of the positions available, something for everyone,” said Recruiting Coordinator Laura Womack. “We offer positions in nursing, activities, social work, maintenance, housekeeping and admissions, to name a few. We are friendly to all age groups. These are great jobs and great people to work with.”

Students walked away with an understanding that there are many opportunities for personal growth. Many were even able to apply for jobs while attending the fair.

“It’s a good thing for the students to understand what jobs they can get into, even though they are going to a school for careers. It lets them know there are options available to them,” said Kaitlyn Knecht, a senior at Dobbs Ferry High School and a student in the Animal Science program.