Thirty-two stands, four schools, and two sides of a gym. Bellingham High School hosted the 2024 Youth Employment and Local College Fair on Thursday, April 18th. The event lasted from 4 P.M. to 5:30 P.M, with the doors being open to all students under the Bellingham School District. It was no surprise that with the mid-spring motivation for getting a summer job and the desire to look more into Running Start, many students attended the event, across all four of the schools.
After being directed to the gym doors by signs located in Bellingham High School, along with two helping guides placed at the front doors, students were greeted with a green sheet of paper that showed an abundance of questions. The numerous questions on the paper all surrounded the same concepts; getting students acquainted with interacting with future employers and asking them just the right questions to make sure you’re informed about your decisions. To support students further, behind the administrators that aided the green papers was a stand with a sign that mentioned application and resume tips for students.
However, while these resources were promoted at this year’s career fair, they can also be found on the Bellingham High School website. Resources are found under the section “Academics” and then, “College & Career Planning,” where students have the opportunity to look at both scholarships, Running Start, a sample resume, and local jobs. As a food handlers permit is a prominent thing in many industries as well, you can also get that with a fee of $10 on the Bellingham High School website by taking a test and a course.
The Youth Employment and Local College Fair did showcase complex possibilities with notable names that are not directly offered as a resource on the school’s website, though. Costco, Walmart, WECU, and Common Threads—an organization that you probably recognize if you’ve been in the Bellingham School District for some time, were all present at the event. Common Threads has been seen at both elementary and middle schools in the Bellingham School District, cultivating gardens with determination, and at this event, expressed that they were willing to take on volunteers for their organization. Unfortunately, the base requirement of hiring for many of the organizations that were presented at the career fair was to at least be eighteen. Unfortunate for underage students, but undeniably helpful, the career fair of 2024 was a great way for students to interact with future employers, look at entry-level jobs, and to seek possible volunteering hours with different places.
