Students explore future job options

CARL MCKINNEY/Alachua County Today

Students check out the booths from around 30 area businesses. Teachers signed up around 450 pupils to go to the career fair.

ALACHUA - For the students of Santa Fe High School on Thursday, Dec. 5, the gymnasium was filled with possibilities.

For the first time in several years, the school played host to a career fair for its pupils.

Attendees walked around the gymnasium, talking to local employers and exploring potential paths for the future.

“The event is intended to raise awareness for all the options that are out there,” said school counselor Pamela Gonzales, who organized the fair. “This is going to be broadening that knowledge base for them.”

Around 450 students participated in the fair, which started at noon and lasted around two hours. Employers such as Publix, the University of Florida and Alachua's own RTI Surgical had booths set up to let the students know what kind of jobs are available for what education levels, as well as what kind of training they might need.

Ivelisse Munoz of RTI Surgical was handing out pamphlets about some of the entry-level jobs available with the company, some of which do not need a college degree. Around 30 people visited her booth to learn about available positions, such as a tissue processing technician, which only requires a high school diploma or GED.

The ideal employee, Munoz said, is someone who can handle responsibility, is dependable and hardworking and communicates and works well with others.

Several military recruiters from the U.S. Army, Marines, Navy and National Guard were there, showing off careers in engineering, medicine and vehicle repairs, among others.

As students tested out their upper-body strength with the pull-up bars next to the recruiters’ table, senior student Cody Cole walked by. He was interested in learning more about joining the U.S. Marines as an infantryman.

“It’s just what I’ve always wanted to do,” he said. Cole talked to the recruiters and learned about what physical criteria and specialized training he would have to go through for each role.

There were 30 tables in total, including Clay Electric, the VA Medical Center and even a local beekeeper.

Chad Osborne, senior class president, said the career fair was probably the biggest event he’s gone to at the school since he’s been there.

Osborne plans on majoring in political science at the University of Florida. He was surprised at the amount of employment opportunities the university has for students while they are going to school, such as working as a clerk in the labs.

“I didn’t know they offered jobs to you while you were at school,” he said.

While most employers were just at the event to educate prospective employees, some were ready to start hiring.

“Some of these kids might get jobs today,” Gonzales said.

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