Bluff Country Career Navigator Virtual Career Fair
On February 4-5, 2021, nearly 250 students from five schools in the SE MN region participated in a Career Fair hosted by the Bluff Country Career Navigators.
Bluff Country Career Navigators supports the Caledonia, Houston, LaCrescent-Hokah, Lewiston-Altura, Mabel-Canton, Rushford-Peterson, and Spring Grove, Minnesota school districts. It is a part of the Southeast Service Cooperative, whose focus is on partnering schools with local businesses to offer students first-hand experience, provide youth career exploration, and connect employers with skilled, potential employees in rural communities of Southeast Minnesota.
The two-day virtual event consisted of partnering businesses creating a Career Fair Experience in the FutureForward™ online portal. From these event homepages, students were able to sign up for the thirty minute presentations of their choice, find company information, videos, employment opportunities, and more.
Here are some fun stats from this year’s virtual career fair:
- There were 60+ sessions for students to choose from
- There were 30+ business professionals involved
- There were 14 career clusters and industries represented
- 5 schools participated
- Approximately 600 session “seats” were filled
Business partners included those from the banking, construction, agriculture, supply chain, law enforcement, medical, retail, educational, and manufacturing industries.
Following each presentation, and for those students who could not join in on live presentations, video recordings were made and links were posted for all participants.
Harmony Enterprises’ Career Fair Experience
Harmony’s Core Values are centered around our Core Purpose of Career, Community, & Culture.
Harmony Enterprises was one of the first regional businesses to partner with the SSC and FutureForward™ to build out a company page and offer collaborative events for students in the region. We welcome outreach opportunities in many forms, and this year’s virtual career fair was just one more example of how Harmony gives back to the community.
For this virtual career fair, Harmony Enterprises presented two interactive sessions entitled, “10 Reasons To Consider A Career In Manufacturing”.
The introduction outlined who Harmony Enterprises is, what we do, and why we do it. It explained our history, our core purpose of career, community, and culture, and our core values. Time was spent showing why we were named Family-Owned Manufacturer of the Year by the Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal, and how our wide range of baler and compactor solutions help other business save time, space, and money related to their waste handling and recycling operations.
During the presentation, New Business Development Manager, Lane Powell, elaborated on each of these important benefits provided by a career in manufacturing:
- Consistent Income
- Competitive Employment Benefits
- Local Opportunities For Employment
- Safe & Progressive Work Environments
- Flexible Scheduling
- Multiple Areas Of Interest And Skill Development
- Ability to Work With Technology/New Growth Sectors
- Minimal Student Debt/On The Job Training
- Supplemental Income For Retirees/Farmers/Those Wanting More Hours
- Benefit To Local Economy/Quality of Life
Manufacturing careers provide many benefits that deserve a second look from students and those looking for a new career.
Evidence shows that our country greatly needs people to consider careers in manufacturing in order to sustain our ability to produce vital goods and services, as well as to maintain levels of economic prosperity in many geographic and demographic areas. The more we can share the benefits that manufacturing has to offer, the more likely we are likely to fulfill this need.
How Can You Help?
Whether you are in manufacturing, or another career sector, get involved with youth and schools in your local communities. Share your expertise, knowledge, and experiences with students to help them gain real-world perspective in areas to which they may not have access. There are many opportunities such as career fairs, internships, and through organizations like Junior Achievement.
When it comes to manufacturing, get to know the manufacturers in your own community, what they produce, and the positive impact their products and services have on the economy and world. Then, go a step further and help people realize the benefit that these employers have on your local economy. Talk about these things and celebrate them in and around your community.
Harmony Enterprises is a third generation, family owned manufacturer of waste and recycling solutions. Our quality balers and compactors help businesses save money, reduce their waste footprint, and make the world a better place for generations to come. Want to learn more about Harmony or see what career opportunities may be available? Visit our Careers Page, watch this video, Contact Us, or call us at (507) 886-6666 today!
