- November 14, 2024
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Ryan Stone talks with Superintendent Jacob Oliva at the FPC Career Fair on Thursday, April 7. Photo by Jacque Estes
Palm Coast Fire Chief Mike Beadle talks withstudents at the annual FPC Career Day. Photo by Jacque Estes
Meghan Wine and Rob Maxwell of Keiser College, were impressed with the FPC students they met at the annual Career Day on Thursday, May 7.
“Everyone has been so polite,” Wine, the admissions director at the college, said. “They have asked me amazing questions. Some have a work sheet, but even those that don't, are very engaged.”
Maxwell, the director of sports medicine, agreed, and added that the FPC students seemed more prepared for the career fair, than they had experienced at other school fairs they had attended.
“I would say the kids here are more interactive, they're more assertive, and they are stepping forward and asking good questions,” Maxwell said.
Rosanne Martin and Naquisha Gibson, representatives from the Human Resource Department at Florida Hospital Flagler, also found the students engaging, but said that next time, they may bring a medical representative, maybe a nurse, with them.
Martin expected the students to want to know more about interview process and questions, and what to do to prepare for when job searching. Instead they wanted to know more about the hospital business.
“They are asking about what type of job opportunities we have,” Martin, the HR manager at Florida Hospital Flagler, said. “A lot of them seem to be interested in working in health care. We are seeing a lot of people talking about wanting to be doctors and nurses, and in the radiology area.”
FPC students Jade Louis-Jeune, Malia Dalzell, and David McErlane were checking out all of the booths and asking questions, even those that were not in their projected career fields. Jade plans to be a dentist, Malia, a trauma surgeon, and David, a lawyer – but that didn't mean there weren't questions about other professions.
Andrew Crawford and Anthony Candva, hadn't completely decided on their career paths.
“I am not certain, something in math,” Andrew said.
The two were asked whether they would like to work for a company or for themselves. Anthony said he would prefer to work for himself, so he could choose his own hours. Andrew said it would depend on what company was offering the job. The majority of students who were asked, did express an interest in self-employment.
During the lunch break, business representative, school personnel, and some students climbed the stairs to the second level of the gym for the annual Flagship Symposium, a luncheon opportunity for Flagship Program partners to get an update on what's happening in the schools.
FPC culinary students served lunch provided by Olive Garden, while school Superintendent Jacob Oliva, Chamber of Commerce President Rebecca DeLorenzo, and others gave presentations.
At least one student from each school Flagship Program was stationed at each table.
Nicholas Blumengarten, a student at Rymfire Elementary, sat next to his principal, Barbara Sauvelpahkick. Nicholas answered questions about the program in his school, Medical Sciences, Health and Fitness. When one guest commented on Nicholas' communication skills, Sauvelpahkick simply said, “That's all him. This is Nick.”
Nicholas' career ambitions were to first to play football in the NFL (Washington Redskins), and secondly, a cardiologist.
“Both of my grandfathers have heart problems,” Nicholas said. “I would like to be a cardiologist to help older people, like my grandfathers.”
Oliva presented a slide show that illustrated what the school district is trying to prepare the students for when they graduate, not an easy task as the workforce continues to change.
“What we are seeing, are the top jobs of this generation didn't exist 10 years ago,” Oliva said. “A lot of the jobs we are preparing them for may not have been invented yet.”
