For the first time since the pandemic, the Build My Future Career Fair returned to Collier County, giving high school students hands-on experience in skilled trades.
Hundreds of students from different high schools gathered at the Collier County Fairgrounds to explore career opportunities in construction, engineering, welding and more.
The event connected students with local businesses looking to hire.
“This event is crucial for the students because it allows them to actually speak with individuals who are currently in the industry [...] They meet with the vendors, they meet with the companies, they see exactly what happens in the job site. They talk about what the entry salary is, what the educational requirements are in order to get hired,” said Carlos Artime, executive director for Collier County Public Schools for Career and Technical Education.
Some students were able to learn more about the types of jobs they might be interested in.
“I'm super interested in BCB Homes or the Lorenzo Walker welding program. The welding program lets you, like, have a firsthand view of what it might, what it could look like in the future,” said Liliana Trejo-Garcia, a senior at Immokalee High School.
The goal was for juniors and seniors to secure internships, on-the-job training, or job offers ahead of graduation.