Career fair at Selinsgrove High School draws 35 Valley employers

Marcia Moore, The Daily Item, Sunbury, Pa.
·2 min read

Apr. 5—SELINSGROVE — Tyler Swineford, a Selinsgrove High School student, will attend Mansfield University in the fall but still took the time to visit some of the vendors at Tuesday's career fair at the school.

"I'm just networking, making some connections," said the senior from Kratzerville who intends to major in business management.

Tuesday's career fair was organized by high school administrators in partnership with the Greater Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce and Advance Central PA as a way to interest high school students in full-time, part-time and summer employment, said school counselor Amy Veach.

"It's a one-stop shop" for the students to meet employers from 35 Valley businesses, including Beiter's, BrightFarms, Heister Houser, Kreamer Feed, Wood-Mode LLC, the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections and area colleges and medical facilities.

Nils Lovik met with teens to discuss working at the Dairy Queen on the Strip, which is owned by his wife, Simone Lovik.

"Everyone remembers their first job, so why not make it fun," he said of his pitch, which included an offer to work around students' schedules. About 80 percent of the staff at the restaurant are high school and college students, Lovik said.

Luzerne County Community College representatives spent the morning explaining the many courses and programs available to high school students and graduates, including a teaching academy that is funded by the Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit and a nursing program, said Melissa Day, director of the Berwick and Greater Susquehanna centers.

Teacher Nicole Sassaman said her freshmen students were interested in learning what employment options are available in the area as she watched them engage with different vendors.

"I'm glad they let first year students come down. This is a good opportunity for them," she said.

Connecting students with employers is the aim of the Path to Careers program launched by Advance Central PA, which has 125 participating businesses.

"I'm here to talk with students about the Path to Careers website and let them know teachers will guide them through the process," said Alexa Hanna, youth programs manager. "It's a way for employers to invest in and teach the future workforce and for students to find out what's out there. It's a career exploration opportunity."