More than 1,000 middle and high school students came to the Champlain Valley Exposition on Tuesday for Workforce in Motion’s Chittenden County Summit.
They got an up-close look at careers ranging from aviation and construction to health care, technology and the trades.
“Any and everything that’s ever been done has been done by people. And that’s what we’re doing here today. Getting people together, talking about what’s possible,” said Russ Marsan, the founder of Workforce In Motion.
That message comes as a new Vermont Public poll points to concerns about opportunity for young people.
When Vermonters were asked whether they would advise an 18-year-old to stay in Vermont or leave the state to build a successful life and career, around half of respondents recommended leaving.
But the state said there are plenty of options here.
“There’s so many opportunities for you. There’s so many employers out there that want to bring you in, that want to train you and want them to be to be part of their employer family,” said Kendal Smith, a commissioner of Vermont’s Department of Labor.
Tuesday’s event was designed to put some of those opportunities right in front of students.
“It’s a lot of opportunities for a lot of jobs that people can’t really look into that much,” said Braelen Tourangeau, a student.
Employers said that exposure can be important, especially for careers students may not have considered before.
“The takeaway for these students should be that just to have that open mindedness, that curiosity to learn that to pay attention to the world around them and see that there’s, you know, there’s more than meets the eye,” said Kyle Long, director of aircraft maintenance at Heritage Aviation.
But some students said they’re still thinking about what else is out there.
“I really want to get out into the bigger world and see more than just Vermont. And it’s really nice,” said Mckenzie Tucker, a student.
For organizers, that makes showing students what is available here even more important.
“If you took a poll, most people would say you need to leave Vermont to find the opportunity. I think if you look in this room, you see that’s not true. The opportunities are here,” Marsan said.
A similar effort is underway to keep young people in the North Country.
For College Day, UVM Health and SUNY Plattsburgh are hosting a career fair for North Country high school students.
The event will be held at the Plattsburgh State Field House at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday.
