The students at Windham Junior and Senior High had a unique experience on Thursday, May 12th- all thanks to Ohio Means Jobs (OMJ) of Portage County. For the past 7 weeks, OMJ has worked with the Windham students on various skills including: interviewing, resume writing, career searches, and communication skills- to better prepare them for their future careers. As a final part of their educational program, OMJ organized a career fair which included over 20 employers and universities who all volunteered their time to talk with the students about careers and future employment opportunities. Students were able to ask questions and interact with professionals for about two hours. Educational organizations such as Akron University, Hiram, Kent State, Maplewood Career Center, ITT Technical Institute, and Fortis College (Ravenna), Cuyahoga Community College were in attendance. Employers, ranging from military to human services, included: ABC Plumbing, AHEC, Cortland Banks, Davey Tree, FCS, Goodwill, Hattie Larlham, Johnson Mathey, Kline Honey Bee Farm, Ohio Army National Guard, Ohio DJFS, Parta, Passages, PMHA, Portage County Treasurer’s Office, Mayor Debbie Blewitt, State Farm Insurance, TDDS Truck Driving School, and Windham Police.
After the career fair, students gathered in the cafeteria to watch a fashion show featuring Windham’s students as models. Outfits for the fashion show were graciously donated by Goodwill. Ohio Means Jobs PC Workforce Administrator, Mandy Berardinelli, opened up the fashion show by briefly speaking with students about the importance of taking the necessary steps to be successful. During the fashion show, students watched a powerpoint presentation, with MC Jack Friend, Goodwill, and Ohio Means Jobs Program Officer, Helene Leightner, running the show. They gave students tips, hints, and tricks on how to dress for success for an interview and/or their future careers. Students also walked the runway to show off their outfits and exactly what it looks like to truly dress for success.
Thank you to Ohio Means Jobs for putting this event together and for working with our students the past seven weeks. Also, thank you to the businesses and schools who donated their time to speak with our students and help guide them to successful futures!
