Career Expo

Young people in Middlesex County are priceless.  In a time when Connecticut is losing so many of its young people because of the high cost of living, Middlesex County continues to put forth a real effort to help guide our students so they can find a successful future right here at home. The Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce’s Business & Education Advisory Council and the Middlesex Consortium of Schools has been very busy this year planning the Third Annual Career EXPO for high school students in Middlesex County.  Last year, the fair was a tremendous success and was thoroughly enjoyed by the students and the presenters alike. I am pleased to announce that the 2008 Career EXPO will be held on Wednesday, April 30, at the Wesleyan University Ice Rink between the hours of 8.00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Last year, the fair hosted over 600 students from Cromwell, Middletown, Durham, Middlefield, Portland, and East Hampton. This year, over 800 students are expected to attend, including those from the communities of Haddam, Killingworth, Chester, Deep River, and Essex. Over 100 career professionals will be on hand to share career experiences with the students. This event provides our high school students with an invaluable opportunity to explore potential careers so that they may better plan their educational goals. The expertise of business and community leaders is so important in connecting academics with the skills required in the workplace. Students are assigned to visit with at least three separate presenters and document the information that they were able to gather from their conversations with the presenters they chose to visit. This is a wonderful opportunity for the students to talk with various business people regarding professions, descriptions of responsibilities, training and education needed, average salaries, and advancement opportunities.  The face-to-face time the students get with the businesses is such a valuable tool that they will learn from and take with them. I’d like to give a big thanks to Connecticut Light and Power/Yankee Gas, Pratt & Whitney, Liberty Bank, and Wesleyan University for their contributions to the 2008 Career EXPO.   Also, my sincere thanks go to the Coca Cola distribution plant in Middletown and Lyman Orchards in Middlefield for their donations to the Expo.  I am really looking forward to this year’s event as well as future events for our students. This is a great opportunity for us to build relationships between students and employers in Middlesex County. By business and education working together, it will guarantee that Middlesex County continues as the state leader in providing a better quality of life for all of its citizens. For all their hard work and dedication planning the 2008 Career Expo, a very special thank you to Lorenzo Marshall, Chair of the Business and Education Advisory Council, Donna Finkelstein of the Middlesex Consortium of Schools, and of course, the Business and Education Advisory Council Committee members.   Other members of the committee include Thomas Serra of the Middletown Hall of Fame, Michael Faenza of Vinal Technical High School, Rosario Rizzo of Pratt & Whitney, Laura Rose Nicol of Pratt & Whitney, Donna Thompson of Wesleyan University, Lori Gagne Pendleton of Charter Oak State College, Dr. Michael Frechette of Middletown Public Schools, Mary Ann Lentz of Liberty Bank, Marie Coughlin of Prudential CT Realty, Grady Fitzpatrick of Fitzpatrick Realty, Donald Gates of Valley Regional High School, Christopher Graham of Cromwell High School, Mary Hambor of Valley Regional High School, Trenton Wright of Middlesex Community College, and Andrea Lavery of Portland High School. This is an outstanding event that helps students in Middlesex County get a feel for what career path they might want to pursue.  Our young people are the future of our economy and business community and this EXPO is a great way to help guide them into their futures as professionals. For more information on the Career EXPO and how to participate in future events, please contact Jennifer De Kine at the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce at (860) 347-6924 or by email at

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