Photo Courtesy of: Community’s College and Career Center

35 potential employers attended the College and Career Center’s career fair on May 3, highlighting some of the employment opportunities available to students post-high school.

The College and Career Center hosted over 30 potential employers during May 3’s half-day.

The event, organized by CCC counselor Mrs. Karrin Hawkins, showcased a variety of career paths available to students.

Representatives from 35 organizations–local businesses, trades, military branches and law enforcement agencies–were on hand to provide students with information about prospective careers.

This was the second event the CCC hosted this semester to help students “find their future.”

In March, the CCC hosted recruiters from 45 colleges and universities during a college fair.

But Hawkins wants students to recognize that many post-high school options are available to them.

“I think it’s very important that our students of all backgrounds can participate in things that are not just college,” Hawkins said.

The CCC promotes the four E’s–Education, Enrolling, Enlisting and Exploring– helping students discover their post-graduation pathway: learning a trade, enrolling in additional schooling, enlisting in an armed force or taking a gap-year and continuing to explore potential careers and educational opportunities.

The career fair’s main objective, Hawkins said, was to emphasize enlisting and education.

The potential employers at the event showcased trades like plumbing, electrical and welding. Representatives from military branches like the Army Air Force, Space Force, Navy and National Guard were on hand, as were representatives from the Normal and Bloomington Police Departments.

Student turnout at the event, Hawkins said, was much higher than expected.

“I was pleasantly surprised,” Hawkins said, calling it “organized chaos.”

That student response, Hawkins said, has her considering hosting two career fairs in 2024, one in the fall and one in the spring.