Hundreds Of Area Students Flock To Bi-annual Career Fair; Dozens Of Exhibitors Participate
By Shannon Burns
Reprinted with permission
Hundreds of students and career-minded adults took advantage of Iohahi:io’s Akwesasne Career Fair, held Friday at the A’nowara’ko:wa Arena and they had plenty of careers to choose from. Seventy-two exhibitors set up booths to share their knowledge in their field.
Students in grades seven and above were invited from dozens of schools in and around Akwesasne, from as close-by as Kana:takon School to as far away as Lisbon High School. Along with bus loads of students, the fair was also attended by many adults looking for a career change or seeking to enter the work force after years off raising families. Students with clear career goals blended with the younger students who are interested in a number of things, and dozens of different careers or fields were represented.
From one-person businesses to large corporations, the exhibits represented a diverse field of careers, including policing, journalism, engineering, massage therapy, and an assortment of community-based programs.
Exhibitors were asked to develop a gimmick that would bring students to their table, but participants also had “passports” which needed a certain number of stamps from exhibitors in order to claim prizes or be entered into drawings for numerous door prizes.
A “Best Booth” award was given to Barbara Montour, a Certified Public Accountant, who fielded questions from curious youth and showed videos related to her job. The “Best Booth” award criteria included popularity and interest from students; and the size of the exhibitor’s company was also taken into consideration. Iohahi:io, an adult education centre, organizes the elaborate event every two years. This year’s primary coordinators were Theresa Square and Bob Firth. The event was first held ten years ago in a small setting at the Iohahi:io campus in Tsi Snaihne, and it has since grown into a giant resource for career-seekers. It outgrew other venues years ago and continues to grow. The Akwesasne Area Management Board co-sponsored the event.
