The 2024 Worlds of Work (WOW) Career Expo will once again bring together industry leaders, education partners, and over 4,000 students from West Alabama.
The two-day expo will be held Wednesday and Thursday at Shelton State Community College’s Martin campus.
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The event is designed to steer students toward high-paying, competitive career opportunities while addressing workforce needs in the region.
Donny Jones, executive director of West AlabamaWorks!, the chief operating officer of the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama, previously described the event as the “Disney World of workforce.”
“It’s really developed to ‘wow’ the students about all the different types of jobs that are in West Alabama,” Jones told the Tuscaloosa News in 2023.
Students will get to explore various “worlds” or industry sectors, where they will meet employers and engage in hands-on activities.
In addition to ninth-graders, the expo will also include a component for older high school students. Tenth- through 12th-grade students are invited to attend WOW Varsity, which will be held from 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.
This is a free event for students, their guardians, and the West Alabama community. WOW Varsity offers high schoolers the opportunity to connect with industry leaders and explore 11 career pathways.
Chris Gardner, an entrepreneur, international best-selling author and an award-winning film producer, will deliver the keynote address at the WOW VIP Breakfast at 7:30 a.m. Thursday in the Shelton State gymnasium. Gardner is known for his autobiography, “The Pursuit of Happyness.”
WOW is a project of West Alabama Works, Region 3 Workforce Development Center, and the Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama.
The program was founded in 2015 with a mission to get students familiar with high-demand, high-wage opportunities available in West Alabama.
Reach Jasmine Hollie atJHollie@gannett.com.