All-In Job & Career Fair provides insight into employment

As part of the West Holmes FFA All-In Day event at Harvest Ridge on Nov. 13, Holmes County Job & Family Services and OhioMeansJobs partnered with the business leaders in East and West Holmes, along with students from both Hiland and West Holmes schools, to create a job and career fair that gave students in the junior and senior classes a chance to experience all the employment opportunities available to them in Holmes County.

Dan Jackson, director of Holmes County Job & Family Services, said this event continues to be a vital part of the growth of young adults in Holmes County, many of whom will eventually return to become business and community leaders and family community members who raise children of their own.

“It’s an opportunity to help kids in the community realize what is available to them,” Jackson said. “At the same time, this gives employers access to a new generation of prospective employees. This is the education piece so kids know what is out there available to them. That helps them decide what paths they want to take coming out of high school.”

He said seeing all the area business leaders showing up to represent so many different areas of employment in the county was exciting, knowing it is giving students a well-rounded look into many of the opportunities available to them.

He said those business leaders truly want to encourage young people to consider working hard and returning to Holmes County to be the future of the business and economic world.

“It’s important to engage these young people at an early age so they know they have a path to raise a family and make a living here in Holmes County, so we are very appreciative of the employers who came and the schools investing in coming here to explore the many options. It’s a fabulous demonstration of Holmes County,” Jackson said.

Jackson also credited Lisa Vansickle, OhioMeansJobs program manager, for pulling the event together in collaboration with the West Holmes High School FFA’s All-In work.

Speaking on behalf of the schools, Eric Jurkovic, West Holmes School District superintendent, said this type of activity is essential to giving students a leg up in exploring what they may want to invest their time in while pursuing their future.

“This county really cares about keeping things homegrown,” Jurkovic said. “This gives our kids a chance to see what Holmes County has to offer them in terms of employment, both in the future and even now.”

He said the networking taking place for those students who are serious about finding employment locally and learning the soft skills of simply conversing with adults in the business world is valuable.

West Holmes High School Principal Scott Pringle has watched his own children come through the school system and said seeing these young people invest in returning to Holmes County and taking on valuable roles is inspiring.

“It’s a great event for our students,” Pringle said. “And we are extremely appreciative of all of our business leaders who invested their time in helping our students explore the possibilities.”

Dr. Eric Shaver’s crew from East Holmes Veterinarian Clinic was tasked with relating to students the expenses involved with not only purchasing a pet, but also investing the finances to keep that pet healthy and happy.

“We’re here to discuss responsible pet ownership and what the financial implications of that might be,” Shaver said. “It’s more than just the price of an animal and the food; it’s the medical care and training, housing and nutrition that all add up. The simple act of owning a pet can be expensive, and we want young people to recognize that before investing in an animal.”

Many of the businesses represented at the Job & Career Fair also spoke to students about the variety of available jobs at the clinic.

Shaver said becoming a veterinarian is a lifelong commitment that begins long before they actually become one and said events like this can both encourage students to follow their dreams or open their eyes that it’s not something they want to pursue.

“It’s a chance for the students to explore a lot of options available to them and ask questions to professionals who can give them great insight into each profession,” Shaver said.