_.jpg "Coast Guard Petty Officer Ryan Beard shows Educational Complex junior Karen Dascent the helicopter controls at the CTEC career fair (Carol Buchanan photo).")
Around 1,000 junior high and high school students checked out different career opportunities Tuesday at the 14th annual Career Fair/Open House at St. Croix Career and Technical Education Center.
Sixty different organizations, government agencies, military units and private businesses had representatives on hand to talk to students about career opportunities in their respective fields.
Jo A. Murphy, a career and technical education coordinator at CTEC, said the goal is to expose students to a wide variety of careers.
“This is a wonderful opportunity for students to network and gather a lot of information on careers all in one spot,” Murphy said. She said students must become highly skilled and competitive individuals to maintain a decent standard of living and keep the “American Dream” alive.
Tables of information were set up around the school and classrooms were open with student volunteers giving tours of the electrical, welding, cosmetology and agriculture rooms. _%20crop.jpg "Complex students check out the Coast Guard helicopter at CTEC Career Fair (Carol Buchanan photo).")
The V.I. Fire Services ladder fire truck and a bright orange U.S. Coast Guard helicopter were big attractions on the lawn in front of the school. Students had the chance to ride in the bucket of the fire truck and sit in the pilots’ seat of the helicopter.
Another huge attraction was the boa constrictor handled by William Coles from the Department of Planning and Natural Resources.
A very graphic autopsy video was shown in the forensic science room.
Viewing the video was Aliya Jackson, a junior at St. Croix Educational Complex. “I got a lot of good information on forensic pathology, like wages and schooling,” she said, adding t hat the video was gory but she would love to get into forensic pathology.
Marcia Taylor, a marine advisor from the University of the Virgin Islands, told students about the opportunities in her field. “I let them know about the opportunities here and that they can come back to St. Croix after college and find jobs in marine science,” Taylor said.
_%20crop.jpg "Elena Christian Junior High School students get a ride in the V.I. Fire Services' ladder truck bucket (Carol Buchanan photo).")
Leila Muller, an energy operations coordinator for the Virgin Islands Energy Office, let the students know the field of energy has a big future. “Renewable energy is growing and getting bigger,” Muller said. “Renewable energy is the way to go and it’s wide open.” She added it isn’t just open to engineers and scientists.
Members of Rotary Club Mid-Isle told students about their individual professions. Ralph Collins, president of the club, gave opening remarks.
Police officers Haraldo Charles and Naki Samuel said the students asked about equipment and the K-9 unit. Charles said it was mostly girls who stopped and inquired about a career in law enforcement.
“They look at the excitement and thrills of the profession,” Charles said.
National Guard recruit assistant Pfc. Clifton Smith recommended students get into the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corp and set a goal to aim for in life. Smith said he plans on becoming a sergeant major. “Don’t let anyone tell you what to become,” Smith said to a group of students. “Live life for yourself.”
Bienvenido “Bien” Brignoni was honored at the fair for his years of devotion training others for a career in woodworking.
Cenita Heywood, a media specialist at CTEC and a coordinator of the fair, said Brignoni was honored because he has been at most of the fairs and is at every program offered in the school. “He doesn’t want his craft to die,” Heywood said.
Heywood said this was the biggest fair the school has had and organizers were very happy with the outcome. She said they had around two dozen student volunteers from Tuskegee Airmen Youth Aviation Club and Department of Labor Jobs for America’s Graduates.
Some of the businesses and agencies involved were African Kraal Fashions, Barry University Physicians’ Assistant program, V.I. Department of Tourism, the Waste Management Authority, V.I. Water and Power Authority, WTJX V.I. Public Television, Broadband V.I., Gold Coast Yachts, Divi Carina Bay Hotel, and the Gov. Juan F. Luis Hospital and Medical Center.
Students attending the fair were from Arthur A. Richards, Elena Christian and Woodson Junior High Schools. St. Croix Educational Complex and St. Croix Central High school students also attended.
Private school students from St. Patrick’s, St. Joseph’s and St. Mary’s Catholic schools attended as well as students from the Seventh-day Adventist School and IQRA Academy.
