Finding their Futures at the Levy County Student Job Fair

Xavier Hernandez knows what he’ll be doing when his fellow Eagles take advantage of an upcoming senior skip day: he’ll be at Bronson Middle/High School working on his studies. That’s because, the 18-year-old said, “I don’t want to miss anything.”

And when he graduates in May? Xavier, who is on track to attend the College of Central Florida or the University of Florida, said “it’s important to focus on school” in order to become a paramedic or fire fighter, something he “fell in love with at a young age when I spent a day with my uncles who are firefighters and got to see what they do.”

Xavier, a well-dressed standout in red tie and vest, was among the scores of 11th and 12th grader from Bronson, Cedar Key, Chiefland and Bronson at today’s Levy County Youth Job Fair.

The job fair, which took place at Chiefland Middle High School, attracted 16 area businesses including military recruiters as well as representatives from CareerSource Citrus Levy Marion and its youth services provider Eckerd Connects Workforce Development.

Al Jones , Talent Acquisition Partner for AutoZone, said that the students he spoke with “are a good group of kids and are all promising but often don’t know what to do next.”

He said that’s why job fairs like this are a great way to help them understand how to go about the process, and hopefully end up with a job.

“I know that retail doesn’t always seem like a career, but the first job I had was with Winn-Dixie in 1972,” Jones said, pointing across the gymnasium to where the team from Winn-Dixie was set up. Jones added that he started at AutoZone as a part-time driver in 2000, and now, as a recruiter, his travels take him throughout the country.

Tanya Taylor, coordinator of Career Pathways for the Levy County School District’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, said it was “great seeing so many local businesses ready to hire” at the job fair, adding that “next year we want to make it even bigger.”????

She also said she appreciated the help from CareerSource CLM staff who “really want to meet our needs for Levy County students.”

One of those students, Cypress Lewis, said she liked the job fair and thought it was “cool to see everything.”

The 16-year-old Chiefland junior said she plans to become a teacher “just to be able to help people.” Cypress said one of her own teachers, Meghan Wooten, has been influential in helping her make that decision.

“She teaches history and makes learning fun. I just want to be like that for other people.”

Told of her student’s compliment, Wooten placed a hand at her heart and said, “I love being a teacher, I love my life … For her to say I inspired her, that’s high praise. I don’t want to get emotional, so we’ll leave it at that.”

Our thanks to the A&M Manufacturing, AutoZone , Capital City Bank Group, Inc. , Comfort Temp Heating & Air , Cross City Corrections, Electrical Apprentice Training Alliance of Gainesville, Florida Department of Transportation , Florida National Guard , Levy County School District, McDonalds, NURSECORE OF GAINESVILLE , Tricounty Scrap Metal & Recycling , United States Air Force , 美国军队 , Williston Care Center , and Winn Dixie.

?

To learn about upcoming job fairs and other opportunities, call 800-434-JOBS or visit careersourceclm.com.

?