Students take a hands-on approach at vocational fair
Wareham students looking to get a jumpstart on their careers got a look at over 25 trade schools and training providers represented at the Vocational Fair at Wareham High School Friday afternoon.
"For kids who might be undecided it's a great opportunity to see what's out there," said Wareham High School Principal Scott Palladino. "All of these places are no more than 30 minutes away, right in our backyard."
The Wareham High School gym was filled with booths from all different schools and occupations, from the Massachusetts State Police to Bay State School of Technology.
"Most of the kids who have stopped by say, 'I want to work with my hands and get done with school fast'," said Matt Carlson, a representative for Bay State. "Whether you're 18 or 58, a trade school can get you work."
Brittany Gay, a representative for the National EMS Institute, said she had received positive feedback from students all day.
"Kids are looking for careers right out of high school in this economy," she said. "We get them in and out of training and help with job placement."
Gay said the National EMS Institute has been successfully running an 18-day "EMS Boot Camp" for 12 years.
"I need to get my EMT certification before I can be a firefighter," said Wareham senior Kyle Gomes.
Wareham Senior Dylan Higgins spent some time at a number of booths and said he was interested in hands-on work in technology, automobiles and plumbing.
"I wish we had more of these fairs so we could see all the different schools," he said.
Palladino said the Vocational Fair is offered annually at the end of the school year as seniors are thinking about post-graduation life, but that it's also a good opportunity for juniors.
"They get time to think about where they're going to go," he said.