This expo, a project of the Southwest Alabama Workforce Development Council (SAWDC), will be a fun, educational, hands-on opportunity for students to become familiar with a broad overview of jobs available in the area. Attendance to the expo will be available to students from our eight county workforce development region which includes Baldwin, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Escambia, Mobile, Monroe, and Washington Counties.
Business and industry leaders, workforce development and career center representatives, along with school representatives have collaborated and partnered in order to introduce this event to our region.
1. Why is it so important to address these issues with eight grade students? As eight grade students move to the 9th grade they are asked pick a career path. Most eight graders have no idea what career paths exist, much less which one they may be interested in pursuing as a career. This Expo will give 8th graders a good understanding of the top jobs in Southwest Alabama. We hope as they transition into the 9th grade that with the knowledge gained at the Expo, students can make informed decisions about their career paths.
2. How long has the Worlds of Opportunity Expo been in the works? When/ where was the idea for this program generated? A Career Expo has been talked about for many years. Many people doing workforce and economic development have kicked the idea of something like this around. Three years ago in round table discussions of Region 9 Workforce Development the idea was mentioned again. From there, because of the relationships that were forming around the region, the idea has now become a reality. A steering committee was put in place one year ago to do the planning and preparation for this event.
3. The event was modeled after the Techno Expo in Georgia and has grown into a tremendous event. What has gone into the planning process? How has this event grown from the original plans? Bringing business and industry to the table to get their buy-in on the event, getting schools to commit to bring all 8th grade students, getting partners to commit money and time, and lining everyone up and focusing them on one goal were all critical factors in making this event a reality. Originally we were expecting about 6,000 8th graders and now we are expecting to have almost 9,000.
4. Has a hands-on event of this type ever been held in the state of Alabama? As far as we know an event like this for 9,000 8th graders has never been held anywhere before now.
5. How many schools across the region are participating in this event? We are planning to have 68 schools attend.
6. What type of exhibits will children in attendance be able to participate in?
There will be hands-on exhibits in each of the worlds listed below.
o Safety
o Energy
o Construction - Industrial, Commercial, Residential, and Highway
o Architecture and Engineering
o Maritime
o Aerospace
o Manufacturing: Paper, Chemical, Steel, Process
o Health Care
o Public Services
o Communications
o Auto Technology/Painting, Collision, Mechanics
7. What type of materials will teachers have to prepare students prior to the event? Each teacher will receive a packet with all instructions necessary for the event. For a copy of the packet: e-mail info@cgeda.net.
8. What kind of careers will the Expo focus on? How will this relate to the careers within our region? The Expo will focus on careers that exist in our region. The top jobs that exist in the clusters below will be the main focus to the event. (Ex. welding, electronics, engineering, medical technicians and nurses, etc.
o Safety
o Energy
o Construction - Industrial, Commercial, Residential, and Highway
o Architecture and Engineering
o Maritime
o Aerospace
o Manufacturing: Paper, Chemical, Steel, Process
o Health Care
o Public Services
o Communications
o Auto Technology/Painting, Collision, Mechanics
9. Who are the major supporters of this program? Are sponsorships available? We have support from so many. For a listing of sponsors from the full packet: e-mail info@cgeda.net.
10. Will this be an annual event? We are planning to make this an annual event.
11. How will this event help students put a plan in place to achieve career goals?
Most eight graders have no idea what career paths exist, much less which one they may be interested in pursuing as a career. This Expo will give 8th graders a good understanding of the top jobs in Southwest Alabama. We hope as they transition into the 9th grade that from the knowledge gained at the Expo students can make informed decisions about their career paths, set some career goals and devise a plan to achieve those goals.
12. Will students be able to access information on potential careers, requirements and earnings at the expo? Students will receive a booklet that will enable them to see potential careers and potential earnings for many jobs in Southwest Alabama.
13. Do children need to start planning their careers earlier than in the past? It is an objective of SAWDC to help students understand how to have successful futures. We believe helping students understand early what success looks like and how to achieve success is critical to a student's future and quality of life as an adult.
14. How important is parental involvement today is shaping the future careers in our region?
Parents play a huge role in the success of children's futures. If parents understand what careers are available for their children in the future they are able to help their children make better decisions which lead to better lives.
15. What kind of response have you received from the regional schools? We have contacted 69 schools and 68 are planning to attend.
