Virtual Career Expo
Help build our future workforce
Save the Date: October 13, 2021
2020 Speakers Featured Below
| 8:00am–8:15am | Chad Thompson, Town of Longmeadow Interview |
| 8:20am–8:35am | Thomas Fregeau, No Heat, Call Tommy Interview |
| 8:40am–8:55am | Darlene Libiszewski, Westfield Bank Interview |
| 9:00am–9:15am | Xiomara DeLobato, UMass Amherst Interview |
| 9:20am–9:35am | Kristin Carlson, Peerless Precision, Inc. Interview |
| 9:40am–9:55am | Dylan Pilon, Cloud 9 Marketing Interview |
| 10:00am–10:15am | Cheri Mills, PeoplesBank Interview |
| 10:20am–10:35am | Angela Phu, Angela’s Salon Interview |
| 10:40am–10:55am | Cary Szafranski, City of Springfield, MA Interview |
| 11:00am–11:15am | Wesley Jackson, South End Community Center/ WSU Interview |
| 11:20am–11:35am | Ashley Tresoline, Bella Foodie, LLC Interview |
| 11:40am–11:55am | LaTonia Monroe Naylor, WSU Interview |
| 12:00pm–12:15pm | Phyllis Williams-Thompson, Tech Foundry Interview |
| 12:20pm–12:35pm | Mike Taylor, Taylor Made Communications Interview |
| 12:40pm–12:55pm | Trish Bonica, YWCA Interview |
| 1:00pm–1:15pm | Mychal Connolly, Stand Out Truck Interview |
| 1:20pm–1:35pm | Ashley Kohl, Ohana School of Performing Arts Interview |
| 1:40–1:55pm | Ibrahim Ali, Gardening the Community Interview |
| 2:00pm–2:15pm | Al Kasper, Savage Arms Interview |
| 2:20pm–2:35pm | Angel Burgado, Santander Bank N.A Interview |
Local Businesses
Sponsored by Santander Bank
Find Your Career Path
Career in Project Management
Tech Careers Support Desk
Groove Made Design Goods
Developing a Career Plan
Why Career Planning is Important
Tech Careers Information Security
Careers in Hospitality
Shwood Fashion Eyewear
A-Dec Dental Products
Code It: Programming
Cozy.co Tech Startup
Certified Public Accountants (CPA)
https://youtu.be/-BvVF7cV6k8
JA Virtual Career Expo is an event where students learn about a range of career options across multiple career clusters. Volunteers share information about their businesses and/or jobs and apply what they learn to their own career planning.
Objectives:
Student objectives will vary based on grade level. Generally, students will:
- Observe career speakers.
- Identify the variety of careers people have in the community.
- Express how jobs require specific interests and skills.
- Relate the impact of personal interests and abilities on career choices.
- Investigate a variety of careers and the skills, education preparation, training, and personal qualities needed for those careers.
- Examine how school skills apply to career paths.
- Explain the importance of staying in school and graduating from high school.
For businesses, higher education, and apprenticeship programs, this is an opportunity to participate in building Western Massachusetts’ future workforce.
JA virtual career expo Curriculum
JA Virtual Career Expo consists of four in-class lessons—three prior to the Career Exploration Fair and one reflection activity afterward.
Session 1: Careers and Personality
Students are introduced to the JA INSPIRE program and take an assessment to discover what jobs may suit their personality.
Session 2: Industry Research
Students learn about the top 20 industries in the country, highlighting those that are high-wage/high-demand in Western Massachusetts. Using their personality assessment from Session 1, they research careers that match their personalities.
Session 3: Do You Have the Skills?
Students become familiar with the skills and education requirements needed to obtain a career, with a focus on soft skills.
JA virtual Career Expo
The career fair showcases opportunities at local businesses, nonprofits, government agencies and educational organizations. Exhibits include interactive career stations with mentors who share their career advice with students and engage them with equipment, technology and the opportunity to “step into the shoes” of employees from all industries.
Exhibitors include colleges, universities, trade schools, apprenticeship programs, companies, local law enforcement and public safety organizations from throughout Western Massachusetts.
Session 4: Reflection
Students reflect on the JA INSPIRE Career Exploration Fair and activities throughout the program.
Get Involved
To reserve a career station for your organization or learn about sponsorship opportunities, contact Jennifer Connolly at 413-747-7670 or jconnolly@jawm.org.