Lewis County (West Virginia) student interests shown during college and career fair

The format changed this year compared to previous events, according to Counseling Office Administrative Assistant/Secretary Amy Gosa.

“We’ve had little things in the past but last year was our biggest college and career fair,” she said. “We had it during the day, but my thought this year was having it in the evening so that when families are here for teacher conferences, that they had the opportunity to visit as well. I’m hoping when they get off of work that we have more.”

Gosa, part of Lewis County High School’s staff since 2005, said some employers and colleges were repeat participants while others expressed interest after reading advertisements. She worked on the preparations with School counselors Marcia James and Rebecca Stansberry.

“I started talking about this during the fall, and I think we started working on it in the middle-to-end of February,” she said. “We had a lot of interest (during the school day Wednesday).”

Ryan Hines, Fred W. Eberle Technical Center’s Practical Nursing director, teaches 19 clinical and classroom adult students daily.

“Our program is an adult-only program but we accept students from across North Central West Virginia,” Hines said. “There is a national shortage of nurses, both registered nurses and practical nurses.

“Practical nursing for us is entry-level nursing, but people can be licensed practical nurses the rest of their careers or use it as a stepping stone. There are tons of jobs for both of those licenses.”

After serving in the U.S. Navy for four years, the Jefferson County native said he went to college for nursing after seeing some of his friends were in the same field. Hines worked within emergency rooms in West Virginia and northern Virginia, and said practical nurses can receive a higher license usually within 36 months.

Bear Contracting’s Operations Manager Derek Rogers greeted guests outside the school entrance with both hot food and his race car. Rogers races locally in Elkins, Tyler County and Parkersburg but has as far south as Tampa, Florida.

“The more I’m around kids or coaching them, you hear that they don’t want to pursue college,” the Lincoln High School graduate from Shinnston said. “I don’t think it’s well-known how the construction industry is growing around this area, especially with infrastructure money. There are a lot of opportunities within the state to stay local and earn a very good living without moving to a larger metropolitan area.”

Rogers and his crew are currently widening, milling and paving roads near Brooks Hall on the West Virginia University campus in Morgantown. Crews hope to complete the job by August 1.

Bear Contracting hires students after graduation, he said. There are about 80 total employees at the Bridgeport-based company, which is divided in four divisions.

“We have two or three employees that started with us straight out of high school,” Rogers said. “You don’t have to be fully trained or have experience. You just need the motivation and live up to our core values.

“Even I went to college, took a few jobs but found construction not knowing a lot about it. My family was in it, but I had never been in the construction industry.”

Door prizes were also awarded to participants, as well as free food available to all.