Well over 350 Grade 11 and 12 students from southeast Saskatchewan had the opportunity to explore their post-secondary schooling options on Nov. 5 at the Estevan Comprehensive School.
More than 30 continuing education facilities set up information tables in the school’s central courtyard with many of them offering afternoon audio/visual presentations in separate sessions that better explained their class options and campus ambiance.
The Post Secondary Education fair, “is our smaller version of the larger Career Fair we hosted last year,” said Stacy Dutka, student services counsellor at ECS.
“We invite post-secondary institutions to speak with our Grade 11 and 12 students. We also invite professionals for the trades and health fields to speak to them.”
Senior students from Arcola and Lampman Schools were invited to attend with over 20 Arcola students making the trip to Estevan along with 30 or more from Lampman.
Each student was afforded time to attend at least two of the special presentations as well as an opportunity to visit any or all of the information tables.
One visiting student, Emilie Craig of Arcola, said she had several questions she had put to rest after visiting with University of Saskatchewan and Brandon University representatives. With a nursing career in mind, Craig said she has been gathering information about both these institutions and then added a third, Medicine Hat College, to her list during the day.
RCMP recruiter Amos McArthur reported some inquiries were made regarding policing programs and what his branch of the policing service provides including the administration of entrance exams and provincial presentations and an F Division Depot youth camp.
Vanessa Leon, Andrea Eccleston and Terice Coleman were kept very busy at the two tables set up by the U of S as was Josephine Moellenbeck, representing Brandon University, another favourite of ECS graduates along with the U of S and University of Regina.
Kaitlyn Degroote, a recruiter for the lesser known Lakeland College was particularly interested in spreading the word about their institution’s health sciences programs.
David Slywka was answering questions regarding the Canadian military and its various branches and opportunities in the regular service or as a reservist.
Brenda Fiddler, a training and employment counsellor for the Gabriel Dumont Institute, was anxious to talk to the young high school graduates-to-be about Aboriginal skills and employment programs that included an Aboriginal teaching degree and other options found in their 11 locations, including their college in Prince Albert.
“We don’t want to set up young First Nations or Metis people for failure, so we offer a lot of assistance regarding career choices. We’d even like to connect with the Grade 10 kids because it’s right around that time in their lives they start to make decisions. We’d like to help them choose their elective subjects through their guidance counsellors so they’re not wasting credits or time. We want them to get the credits and courses they want and need to pursue the careers they favour,” said Fiddler.
“I think we’re getting the job done here today,” said Dutka. “Most of the kids are saying they’re getting the information they wanted.”
