Last week, Sheridan Youth Assistance Program (SYAP) sponsored a Construction Career Exploration Day to give students at Sheridan middle and high schools exposure to different careers in the construction and trades industries.
Students were surveyed by teachers, and students specifically interested in construction careers were invited to visit the event during their Student Resource Time. In addition, all students in grades 7 through 12 were welcome to visit during their lunch period. Organizers estimate that over 100 students participated in the event that included nine booths of employers and trainers.
“As a district we have set some very high goals for enhancing our internships and hands on practical learning,” Superintendent Dave Mundy said. “The job fairs are an integral part of our students getting to see first-hand all the various areas of future employment that are available to them. I really appreciate the focus many of our teachers have put into developing these opportunities for our students.”
According to SYAP Program Coordinator Beth Sabelhaus, “SYAP is passionate about supporting youth in Sheridan to become successful adults. As an alternative to a large traditional job fair, SYAP wants to host smaller, more focused events so that students can meet and get to know local employers and training programs, and what kind of high demand jobs are available to them after high school.”
Employers in the construction field were invited to set up booths and encouraged to make their booths interactive. According to Sabelhaus, students were excited to try the hands-on displays and check out information including training requirements and salary expectations for different jobs and trades.
Photo provided by Sheridan Community Schools
Bill Keevern, Lead Instructor of ABC Commercial Construction Prep Academy, said, “It’s hard to gauge the success of the event since there was such a wide range of ages attending. For most I thought it was planting the seed as a viable alternative to other career options.”
Sheridan High School (SHS) Principal Rick Davis said he was pleased with the impact the career fair had on students who show an interest in the construction trades.
“The Mini Career Fair was a great opportunity for our students to contact potential employers and learn more about the construction trades,” Davis said. “Having a smaller, more intimate career fair allowed students to dive deeper and have longer interactions with the companies present compared to a huge fair which can be overwhelming for many students. The Mini Career Fair created a very focused approach so that those students with particular interests are more precisely targeted for exposure and interaction. We look forward to having more mini career fairs focused on other career pathways.”
Lisa Samuels of SYAP has been organizing career fairs for several years at SHS.
“It has been a priority to the SYAP board to bring opportunities to students in the Sheridan community to help them become successful students and future adults,” Samuels said. “We see gaps not available to our students and work to fill those needs. With the career fairs and our summer employment program, we focus on introducing students to careers that do not require a four-year degree but provide successful options to provide for themselves and a family in the future.”
SYAP will hold a total of four career exploration days during the 2022-2023 school year. The next event will be Tuesday, Nov. 15 and focus on careers in manufacturing. Registration is still open for more employers and organizations to attend the event. Anyone wanting more information can contact Beth Sabelhaus at esabelhaus@sheridan.k12.in.us or call (317) 758-4431 ext. 4460.