Hundreds of Hancock County eighth graders explored future careers at Owens Community College.
FINDLAY, Ohio — From an early age, kids are asked ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’
On Thursday, hundreds of Hancock County eighth graders had the chance to see some of those possible future careers up close.
About 800 students from Findlay City Schools and nine districts across Hancock County descended on the Owens Community College campus in Findlay to talk about their futures with 30 different employers.
“It’s really important to do it at this age where they’re forming their identity, and then when they get into high school they can spend their time getting a little bit more in depth with a certain workplace that fits them best,” said Tricia Valasek, executive director of Raise the Bar Hancock County, which organized the fair.
“At this age, kids are forming their identity and they’re really starting to learn about themselves, their interests, their passions. What we want to teach is that you can connect all of your strengths, your personality and your interests to a career,” Valasek said.
Students walked around campus and met professionals from a wide range of backgrounds — from college-degree fields like engineering, energy and manufacturing, to hands-on trades such as construction, trucking and public safety.
“Trying to figure out, ‘What industry do I want to go to? What do I want to do long-term?’ is a difficult decision,” said Kevin Carper, a representative from Marathon Petroleum. “Providing information to help them understand what they want to do is very important.”
Jeremy Balanton, a senior project manager with Kirk Bros. Construction, said students also benefit from learning that there are multiple entry points into careers.
“Just knowing the options here — when I was in school, I wasn’t even aware there was an on-ramp into the trades,” Balanton said.
Fourteen-year-old McComb student Leland Parinello came wanting to learn more about construction — and did after talking with some of the companies.
“I learned that I don’t really need to have much schooling, because one place, Alvada, hires kids straight out of high school,” Parinello said.
Now, Leland is one of hundreds of eighth graders who will head to high school next year with a clearer vision of what the future can hold.
Organizers said they plan to bring the event back again next year.