NORTH RIDGEVILLE , Ohio -- North Ridgeville High School recently hosted its annual Future Fair.
The program is designed for students in grades 9-12, offering an interactive opportunity to explore post-graduation pathways and connect with industry professionals.
Students attended career preparation and exploration workshops all day on Feb. 21 on the Future Fair’s “convention floor.”
The Future Fair serves as a bridge between education and the workforce, bringing together local businesses, agencies and military branches to showcase the diverse opportunities available to students.
Through hands-on exhibits and direct interactions, students gain valuable insights into potential careers.
To maximize the students’ experience, they prepare in advance by researching exhibitors and developing a personalized plan for the event.
The Four “E’s” -- Enrollment, Employment, Enlistment and Entrepreneurship -- remain the foundation of the Future Fair, ensuring that students receive a well-rounded perspective on their post-graduation options.
Lee Armbruster, director of community partnerships for the school district, was the driving force behind this event.
She said the Future Fair welcomed nearly 100 exhibitors representing industries such as manufacturing, skilled trades, health care, finance, government, higher education and the military.
The goal is to provide students with real-world, high-demand career insights through interactive exhibits and workshops that inspire their future decisions.
“You can’t be it if you can’t see,” Armbruster said. “The whole idea is to give students an understanding of all the different career options there are for them out there.
“This is like a learning curve for everybody in high school public education. The expectation was for you to go to college, and you figure it out in college and if you don’t know when you start, that’s OK.
“Well, that’s not OK, because some kids shouldn’t be going to college.
“There’s so many great jobs out there with different programs and different tracks, and going and spending $80,000 to figure it out isn’t the right way,” Armbruster continued.
“We really need to start younger with these students and showing them the different options, from the trades to the first responders to military service.”
Armbruster said this year, the event also had workshops where the students could get a taste of what it would be like to actually work in a given field, such as design or forensics.
She said Lorain County officials in the court system, 911 and others were particularly gracious in donating their time and energy, offering a variety of programs and workshops.
Lorain County Community College also had a large presence, showcasing its different departments, future opportunities and career paths for the students.
Armbruster points to the exorbitant cost of a traditional four-year college education as a major catalyst for students seeking a different career path.
She said student loan debt is a major burden for college graduates.
There is also a high dropout rate at these types of universities, whereas the trades pay for workers to learn on the job in apprentice and skilled tradesman type roles, she said.
“When I started this four years ago, when I walked into the high school, I saw that the colleges have tables set up, the military have tables set up and there are all these recruiters, but so many businesses don’t have the staff to do that,” Armbruster said.
“But now, we’re seeing so many businesses and the courts and healthcare services, especially, getting involved and getting folks out there to talk to these kids.
“There are businesses that are coming out and really supporting this. But you know, just getting the local government involved has helped us tremendously,” she said.
“In this area, what we’re seeing in the future for high-demand workers, it’s in IT (information technology), manufacturing and health care.
“When a person walks into the hospital and all the different departments that are involved, you don’t have to be a nurse or you don’t have to be a doctor. There’s just so many options.”
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