Unlocking Possibilities: Spring Career Fair 2023
On Wednesday, February 1, 2023, the Orlando Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. hosted their annual career fair for students at the UCF Valencia College Downtown Orlando Campus. Students had the opportunity to speak about various career options, their career paths, and the most effective ways to obtain certain career goals. Onsite professionals in various fields were present and excited to meet every student who were in attendance! We spoke with Renee Green, chair of the scholarship committee for the Orlando Alumnae Chapter and the director of The Plug, about the career fair and the goals behind hosting the event.
Check out the interview below!
TELL US ABOUT THE EVENT.
Every year the Orlando Aumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. hosts scholarships forums with a goal to provide students with within the community information, resources, and access to opportunities that they may not otherwise have access to. This event, in particular, is unlocking the possibilities, which is a career fair that was geared towards middle school students and high school students.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO HOST THIS TYPE OF EVENT?
It’s important to host these types of events because some students just aren’t aware of what’s available. They may not know the different opportunities available depending on what careers their parents pursued, or they may just have one idea of what postsecondary opportunities should look like. This event allows them to hear from traditional and nontraditional career professionals ranging from engineers to estheticians to entrepreneurs. The goal is to expose students to opportunities that they may not otherwise be exposed to.
WHAT IF EVENTS LIKE THIS DID NOT HAPPEN OR WEREN’T BROUGHT TO COMMUNITIES LIKE PARRAMORE?
We kind of see it everyday; students get their high school diploma, or not, and they’re kind of stuck with ‘what do I do next?’ If we didn’t host events like this, students wouldn’t know what ‘next’ looks like. They wouldn’t know what it took to get to that next step and deciding whether getting a diploma vs. GED works better for them or between a bachelor’s or a master’s degree. This event bridges that gap between the ‘I have no clue what I want to do’ and the ‘what’s next?’ I think it’s crucial to be in the heart of Orlando when doing things like this. So, whether you live on the far east side or the far west side, you can still get here in terms of transportation. In addition to that, we know that a lot of our Title I schools are centered around the downtown area, so whether it be Jones High School or Evans is about 15-20 minutes away, Oak Ridge, etc. those students still have access to these types of opportunities. I think access and expose is the key.
HOW DO EVENTS LIKE THIS SUPPORT COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS, IN PARTICULAR?
It’s important to know that every student won’t have the same path. I don’t want for them to feel like they have to go to college. You might be really good with your hands, so let’s get you plugged in with a great trade opportunity to go to vocational school. Or, if the career that you desire requires additional education, let’s plug you in to that. The goal is to make sure the students are aware of what’s out there because oftentimes they just don’t know. They don’t know the work that it takes to get there or the education that it takes to get there.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
The Plug Connection: Our organization is an educational service that connects students to college and career options through education and experiences. We provide student-focused learning environment where motivated high school students will gain the skills and resources needed to launch into and explore their post-secondary goals by continuing their education through college, trade school, or the military. Popular Services include free ACT and SAT Prep, scholarships, college prep, and tutoring.