From technical college to land surveying, Marshall County Schools Career and Technical Education students received a look at their post-graduation options during the first Marshall County CTE Fair.

More than 30 technical schools, labor unions, businesses and city police departments were represented at Thursday’s fair held at the John Marshall High School gymnasium.

The fair was open to juniors and seniors in John Marshall CTE programs and any Cameron High School senior. Marshall County Schools CTE Counselor Melanie Knutsen, who organized the fair, said the event allowed CTE students to speak with specific organizations they’re interested in or broaden their career horizons.

“My goal for the fair is to offer as many experiences and ideas for students as possible so that they can see the many opportunities open to them,” Knutsen said. “The second goal is for the students to work on their soft skills, which could be talking to a representative from an organization.”

The fair also had an interview space outside the gym for students to be interviewed for a job at the fair. Job applications were also available.

“I want the students to exchange information and network,” Knutsen said. “Many kids don’t realize the scope of technical employment available in the area. Just up and down Route 2, there are companies that I never even knew existed that are making things that are being transported all over the world.”

John Marshall senior Wyatt Merinar, who is in the welding program, was one student who broadened his career horizons at the fair. While he was primarily interested in joining the Electrical Workers Union, he said the fair introduced him to other careers.

“I like listening to people talk about their jobs and what they do daily,” Merinar said. “This has helped broaden my horizons from the one thing I’ve been focusing on, the Electrician’s Union. I know I can get into the union pretty easily, so I’ve been hearing what other jobs entail and how much they make.”

Cameron senior William Patterson, who is in the welding program, said he was mainly interested in visiting the tables for Rosedale Technical College in Pittsburgh; Iron Workers Union Local 549 and the International Association of Bridge, Structural, Ornamental and Reinforcing Iron Workers.

“I was able to visit all three tables, and I’ve been expanding my options for other jobs, too,” Patterson said.

Steve Singleton and Kyle Wright, representatives from the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers’ Local Union 33 at the fair, were John Marshall graduates. Both SMART Local 33 members said attending a CTE Fair in high school would have helped them figure out what to do career-wise after graduation.

“It’s been 30 years since I graduated high school, and when I did, I had no idea what sheet metal workers were,” Singleton said. “As the students walk past our table today, they see the pictures of the welding and fabricating we do and get an idea of our work.”

Marshall County Surveyor Jim Ruckman also introduced students to his line of work at the fair, including demonstrating how to use his surveying tools. Ruckman, who also serves as the Chairman of the Northern Panhandle Chapter of the Society of Professional Surveyors, emphasized the importance of introducing the profession to students, as the average age of licensed land surveyors in the state is 60.

“We’re a bunch of gray-haired folks, so we’re trying to get younger folks interested in the progression because working in an office or a factory isn’t for everyone,” Ruckman said.

Ruckman added that there were “many more career opportunities” for students today than when he graduated from high school in the 1980s.

“There are opportunities for these kids to find work that wasn’t available when I graduated,” Ruckman said. “There are opportunities for students to do something they truly enjoy when they graduate.”