As concerned parents, we want our kids to make the most practical decisions about their futures. After all, they will work in their chosen professions for the rest of their lives, right?
Well, not necessarily. In today’s job market, it is perfectly natural to begin in one place and transition into different paths as time goes on. If we stop to think about it, many of us have done the same and have managed to be strong, productive individuals who contribute significantly to our professions and to our community.
Although we naturally place a high level of importance on generating a viable income and climbing the ladder, it is also important to encourage our kids to do what it is that they love and what they are called to do.
I’m sure I am not alone however, when I forget this very important lesson and harp on my 8th grader about “making that money.”
Fortunately for our young people, the Denton community is beyond driven to help steer our future workforce professionals in the right direction. The universe is a very big place and the possibilities are endless!
November 10, 2015 marked the third year of the Annual Career Planning Fair, hosted by the Denton Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Denton ISD, UNT, TWU and NCTC.
This year’s theme, coinciding with a certain highly-anticipated box office phenomenon, was “Be a Force for the Future.”
A record 375 DISD sophomores and juniors and their parents visited the LaGrone Advanced Technology Complex, where they were educated about career paths in a variety of fields including Healthcare, S.T.E.M, Business, Arts, and a number of others.
A collaboration of higher education representatives, college students and community business professionals joined forces to offer a day of positive discussion around the concept of making an informed decision about career path options.
The program kicked off with an energetic and interactive keynote address from speakers, AJ Amyx, The Twitter Rockstar, and Officer Orlando Hinojosa with the Denton PD. Both speakers addressed the importance of playing and looking the part for the job you want and making a good first impression via social media.
In between keynotes, the students enjoyed learning about dressing for success during the fashion show emceed by the ATC’s principal, Marcus Borland.
Students had the opportunity to visit one-on-one with professionals in their respective fields in the Career Expo as well as attend two breakout sessions with speaker panels that discussed the job opportunities more in depth and answered questions about what each career is really like.
Military recruiter, SGT. Ottis Harris, expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to participate stating “This was beyond exciting. I had the chance to meet our future lawyers, doctors, judges, etc. These young men and women are set for success.”
Other participants like Kevin Glaub with Dunaway Associates, stated that “it really was fulfilling getting to give back and help students get interested in their careers.”
The evening parent program offered parents information on how to support their students with this very important decision. Evening panel discussions included university/college reps, college students and individuals from the City of Denton and covered return on investment for career paths, job trends and personal testimonials.
The Career Planning Fair was made possible thanks to the support of sponsors including Labinal Power Systems, Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital, UNT, TWU and NCTC.
Although the results on events such as the Career Planning Fair may not be immediate, the Denton community prides itself on building a culture of success and preparing our youth for becoming a future force to reckon with.
By: Angelica Del Rosal
For more information about Denton Chamber of Commerce initiatives, visit denton-chamber.org
DENTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 