KINGSVILLE — The 14th annual College and Career Exposition will be held from 8:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 6 at the J.K. Northway Exposition Center in Kingsville.
The event draws an annual attendance of over 2,000 students for the purpose of educating students, their parents and the community about “the reality of tomorrow’s career market,” according to Frank Escobedo, a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agent in Kleberg County and expo organizer.
“Too often a student ends up in a degree program or with a completed degree that does not lead to their desired career,” he said. “That’s catastrophic for a person’s education, considering all the time, effort and expense involved. The purpose of the expo is to give students a picture of technical and other demonstrable careers, and a better understanding of what each career entails.”
The expo is open to South Texas students in grades eight through 12. Admission is free.
College admissions and financial aid representatives are invited to present.
“The information brought in by various colleges and universities not only provides students with insight to careers, it also assists students in making important decisions that will affect them for their entire lives,” Escobedo said.
The expo provides the opportunity for students to browse booths representing careers and higher education staffed by instructors, administrators and business or industry personnel.
“The goal is to provide a more comprehensive overview of the required course work and future career opportunities,” he said. “Presenters who bring actual equipment and resources to demonstrate are extremely successful in attracting students to their programs.”
Escobedo said the expo is a community effort that was started 16 years ago through AgriLife Extension’s youth development committee.
“We’ve had lots of success in providing career awareness and college preparation, especially to high school students who so desperately need this information,” he said. “And we don’t just limit it to students in Kleberg and Kenedy counties, we invite students from throughout South Texas.
“Our success can be measured in our average attendance of 2,200 students each year. Students love this style of presentation and the doors that this career and college preparation information opens for them.”
Sponsors include AgriLife Extension, Kaufer High School and the Rivera Independent School District, the Region 2 Educational Service Center, Presbyterian Pan American School, Coastal Bend College, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, the Kingsville Chamber of Commerce, H.M. King High School and the Kingsville ISD and H-E-B Food Stores.
For more information, contact Escobedo at 361-595-8566, or go online at http://www.rivieraisd.esc2.net/Counselor/STCE/SouthTexasCareerExpo.asp.