Area students and businesses will have the opportunity to take part in an equally beneficial event taking place for the first time.
The Poplar Bluff Technical Career Center in conjunction with Poplar Bluff High School will be hosting the first ever Poplar Bluff School’s Student Hiring Event from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday, April 26 at the PBHS Auxiliary gym.
“This event gives the kids an opportunity to show their stuff, who they are and businesses can follow up if they choose,” TCC Director Charles Kinsey said. “I fully expect several students to get hired based on interviews.”
The Student Hiring Event is similar to a job fair, with the exception businesses will be interviewing students looking for specific open part-time and full-time positions.
“This is an opportunity for our students to sharpen their interviewing skills and for businesses to seek possible employees,” Kinsey said. “Students will only be allowed to attend with teacher approval and a written resume, so our students who attend will be actively seeking a job/career.”
This local event will be for all Career and Technical Education programs at the secondary level, which includes both Poplar Bluff High School and Poplar Bluff TCC.
These programs support business/marketing, family and consumer sciences, agriculture, auto collision, auto service, building trades, computer maintenance and repair, computer graphics and print technology, HVACR, health care occupations (CNA), cosmetology, culinary arts, and welding.
“We are looking at the kids from the Career Tech Ed program because they should start with a higher level of skill than an average Joe who comes in off the street,” Kinsey said.
Students with these skill levels will also require less training for the businesses, resulting in saving money.
While some of the entry-level jobs will not require special skill sets, Kinsey said if they do, it’s great for the business.
“If we can get this opportunity open to the kids, they have a better opportunity to go to work,” he said.
To make this event a success, businesses looking for skilled workers to fill positions are being asked to participate and conduct interviews.
Interested businesses are asked to sign up by Monday, April 22 to be a part of the Student Hiring Event. This notice will give students the opportunity to prepare a resume to apply for specific job openings in which they are trained.
“A resume is going to be the key to get them through the door,” Kinsey said. “Businesses and myself want kids there who are serious, have the skill sets and don’t waste people’s time.”
If a business is not able to be at the Student Hiring Event for the entire four hours, Kinsey said by also signing up early he can ensure scheduling interviews to suit all involved.
At this time, Kinsey said six businesses have confirmed to take part in the event with as many as 60 students in attendance.
“I really hope for 20 to 30 businesses there interviewing kids, but if we have 10, that’s OK too,” Kinsey said. “They need people in the respective open positions and we have kids who are qualified, so lets get them there to them.”
By just attending the event and taking part in an interview, Kinsey said students will have the opportunity to meet people from the human resources industry in fields they are interested.
“Students could get a job where they will be starting off using skill sets they were taught right here at Poplar Bluff schools,” he added.
If students are hired as result of the Student Hiring Event, Kinsey said a Signing Event will be held May 17 to celebrate entering the workforce thanks to skills learned in the Career Tech Ed program.
“We as a school can recognize that our students are learning from the Career Tech Ed and are going to work as a result, then that’s showing the school system is putting kids out to be productive members of society,” Kinsey said.
Interested businesses may sign up by visiting the TCC website at tcc.poplarbluffschools.net or, TCC’s Facebook page and by calling the school at 573-785-2248.