FARMINGTON — About 1,000 students were urged to take advantage of a “buffet of opportunity” Tuesday during the first Mt. Blue Campus Career Expo.

The event featured 74 exhibitors.

Motivational speaker John Jenkins suggested students “be like a sponge” and absorb what was offered by various professionals. He called it a “buffet of opportunity.”

“They are the experts in their field,” Jenkins said. “It may not make sense to someone else but if it appeals to you, grab it.”

Students at the Mt. Blue Campus were joined by the eighth grade at Mt. Blue Middle School and students from partner schools who attend classes at the campus, said Melissa Williams of Student Services at Foster Career and Technical Education Center in Farmington.

The day was planned with help of a Mt. Blue Gear Up Grant and a Foster Technology Center MELMAC Planning Grant, she said. The idea behind the grants is to help students find their post-secondary life, she said.

Williams said the Career Expo was based on “What can we do help students start thinking about their future?”

Organizers considered students’ comfort zones and brought career representatives to give them a chance to question and explore the possibilities.

There were 16 careers represented, including agriculture, food, natural resources, finance, hospitality and tourism, manufacturing, law, public safety, corrections, security and human services.

Businesses, organizations, agencies, military and post-secondary educational opportunities, some local and from around the state, sent representatives to talk about their work.

Students were given time before and after the expo to discuss with their teachers what they saw and how it impacted them.

Student ambassadors from Foster Tech helped set up displays, contacted businesses, filled swag bags for each student and helped make the event run smoothly. 

“This is an incredible opportunity,” Jenkins told the students. It will help them define their goals, find their passion and take action, he said.

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