As Devonte Casey-Palmer played with foam building blocks during the Haliburton County Home Builders Association (HCHBA) trades day in the high school gym, the Grade 7 student was thinking about his future.
“I’ve seen mostly family with some of this stuff … my uncle owns a business that does this,” he commented Tuesday (April 23) as Andrew Brown of Brown and Company showed him and fellow student Lucas Graham some building plans.
He’s asked if he would consider a career in building and says “yeah. Because there’s been a long history for me. I’ve been able to build things, especially with Lego. And, I’d like to own my own business one day.”
On the other sides of the tables were booth holders, such as Jason Redner, a dietary manager at Extendicare.
He said it’s good for students to learn about the variety of career options they have and to start thinking about what they want to do.
He said they were telling students their line of work “makes you feel good because you are helping residents and seniors.”
He added there are a number of jobs at Extendicare with varying requirements and qualifications.
The HCHBA organized the second annual career day.
Executive director Aggie Tose said they were very happy with the turnout and had great support from the teaching staff at Haliburton Highlands Secondary School and principal Chris Boulay.
Students from Grades 7-12 were invited.
“What I’d like them [students] to see, which we’re gong to promote a little more next year, is there are a number of people here working booths who are graduates of this high school and who have gone away to school and come back and now they’re living and working in Haliburton County very successfully,” she said. “And I think that’s what these young people need to know. There are jobs here in Haliburton County. They don’t have to go away. They may have to go away for some schooling but there are places for them when they come back.”
Tose said as early as elementary school, students need to learn in advance about the number of options that are available to them.
