Students in some of the district’s upriver schools had the opportunity to sample career paths during two agriculture and trade expos held in March.
During events at Perth-Andover Middle School on March 18, and John Caldwell School on March 19, roughly 900 middle and high school students from Southern Victoria High School, Tobique Valley High School, and Saint Mary’s Academy, as well as the two host schools, gathered to learn more about agricultural and skilled trades careers opportunities.
Hands-on learning
“It was exciting to see the students dive into the Ag and Trades Expo and really make the most of the experience,” said ASD-W Community Schools Engagement Coordinator Emily McLaughlin. “Watching them engage with knowledgeable exhibitors, ask thoughtful questions, and gain hands-on exposure to different trades was incredibly rewarding.”
Eighteen exhibitors, representing a cross-section of skilled trades and agriculture organizations throughout the province, set up hands-on exhibits that allowed students to experience an occupation and have some fun doing it.
Students participated in such activities as a nail-hammering contest, seed planting, fielding agricultural trivia questions, operating simulators for both a construction excavator and a skid-steer loader, and frying up food made from genuine New Brunswick potatoes. They even practiced veterinary surgery, of a sort, by suturing on a banana skin—under the watchful eye of an actual veterinarian, of course.
“I really liked the hands-on exhibit where I was able to try using a blow torch on copper pipes,” said John Caldwell School Grade 12 student Kaleb Clifford. “My friend and I even received job interviews as a result of speaking with a [company] representative at the show.”
Students received a “passport”—a card that was stamped at each exhibit. Once fully stamped, the card was placed into a drawing at the end of the event to receive one of several free boxes of tools.
The students from John Caldwell School’s culinary class gained real-life work experience during the event by preparing and serving lunch to the exhibitors at their expo. And students from the school’s Ag 110 class staffed a booth of their own to showcase their work growing and hatching chicks.
Said ASD-W Community Schools Engagement Coordinator Valerie Carmichael, “Exposing students to these opportunities early on is a key factor in broadening their career prospects and ensuring they understand the importance of acquiring essential skills while in school.”
“These experiences stay with students much longer than conversations and brochures,” Carmichael said. “The conversations are now connected to an experience and a memory.”
— By Valerie Carmichael, ASD-W Community Schools Engagement Coordinator
— Photos by Emily McLaughlin, ASD-W Community Schools Engagement Coordinator