Annual High School CTE Job Fair Scheduled for this November

What started as the grand finale for FFA week three years ago has turned into an event that involves other CTE (Career Technical Education/Vocational Education) student organizations that local businesses have started looking forward to. On November 8, 2023, the Three Forks Schools will be hosting the third annual CTE job fair. The school is extending the invitation to participate to every local business or employer.

Three Forks FFA Chapter Secretary Calla Donnelly has been the driving force behind the project since the beginning. “By word of mouth, businesses from beyond our community have started calling me asking to participate,” she said. Many businesses in the area have a need to grow their talent pool and workforce.

Local businesses are invited to participate, whether they are looking for employees or just want to share their industry. One of the goals is to give students a more vivid vision of what after college or after graduation looks like for them.

“Meeting people with skills and degrees who are successful in a job after a journey similar to the one students are just beginning is valuable,” Donnelly said.

The fair’s purpose is multi-faceted. “I believe that if students have time, they need to work. Every student needs money and experience to get them started in life, so boredom is unnecessary when there is a need in one’s community,” she said.

The hope is to give local businesses and employers opportunities to talk face-to-face with students who are exploring career paths in addition to seeking part or full-time jobs, summer jobs, and/or internships. “This shows students the variety of options in the community that they may not have been presented with,” Donnelly said.

There are at least a handful of students who were inspired by the fair and are now on a clearer career path. Between the fair and the school’s new internship program, more students are finding more options in their education.

As a senior, Donnelly is looking to hand the reins off.

“I am trying to keep this opportunity open to the community and set it up so that the fair can continue to improve after I graduate,” she said.

Her project has blossomed into an idea that she is hoping to share with other schools, and she has expanded the fair to include all the CTE organizations at Three Forks Schools.

If you are interested in participating in the fair, email Calla at threeforksffa@threeforks.k12.mt.us. Participation is free and the deadline is October 11th.