Friday, March 29, 2024
Karen M. Jorgensen Ingvild Herfindahl, director of the Dodge Center Library, was at the school with a booth explaining some of the activities that go on at the library and what librarians do. Casper Connor stopped by to chat and also try out his ukulele playing skills.Photo by Karen M. Jorgensen Bethany Reyant, a therapist from Fernbrook speaks with Triton students about careers. Her duties at Fernbrook include being the mental health therapist at Triton.Photo by Karen M. Jorgensen Triton Junior Caleb Chilson stopped by the McNeilus booth to learn what opportunities are available at the company.

Beyond high school: Students explore their future

Students at Triton High School should have a better idea of what opportunities are available to them after last week’s “Beyond High School Day” at the school.

All students in grades 9-12 had the opportunity to meet with potential employers and staff from post-secondary institutions to learn about the careers available to them.

For the students, it provided an opportunity to learn, and for the employers it provided a connection to future employees. Some of the employers even told students of part time job opportunities while still in high school.

This is not the first time Triton has held a “career fair,” said Counselor Christi Runnells, but it was bigger than in previous years. More than 60 exhibitors filled two gyms at the school as well as programs in the choir room and the Performing Arts Center.

Students are often undecided about their future, Runnells said.

“We get I don’t know what I want to do after high school,” she said. “This is to help them explore.”

“I think it gives an idea of all the options,” said Triton Junior Caleb Chilson as he talked to representatives of the McNeilus company. He said he was stopping by companies that seemed interesting to him or he knew about them.

Other students had a better idea of what they want to do but still were checking out a variety of options.

Freshman Dora Chable said she was very interested in mathematics and was leaning towards a career in advanced math or data research. Still, she said, she was talking with representatives of the Dodge County Public Health about options in that field.

Representatives of health-related careers were plentiful at the event with several, including Bethany Reyant of Fernbrook and Tessa Stevenson of Fairview Care Center, both saying that employees are needed in their fields. Stevenson said that Fairview does employ high school students and they also participate in Certified Nursing Assistant programs with local schools. Triton, she said, does have a CNA program. Fairview has also started its own internship program she said.

Several employers also said they had programs to help their student workers with college tuition.

The career events have been held in the past, Runnells said, but were put on hold during the years of the COVID pandemic. Those earlier events, she added, were not as extensive as this year.

She added there will be a event next year but it will be different than this year’s. Changing it each year, she said, is important because over the four years of high school students will not have exactly the same event every year.

 

 

Dodge County Independent

Dodge County Independent
Dodge County ADvantage
301 S. Mantorville Ave.
Plaza 57 • Suite 200
Kasson, MN 55944

Dodge County Printing
301 S. Mantorville Ave.
Plaza 57 • Suite 200
Kasson, MN 55944

507-634-7503
 
Hours: 
Monday-Thursday 10a.m.-3p.m.