Culinary arts, law enforcement, entrepreneurship, medicine and fitness were a handful of careers represented at KidWorks 3rd annual career fair.
KidWorks believes that a bright future is within the reach of every KidWorks student and the career fair is just one opportunity to help them achieve their vocational goals.
Brenda A., an 11th grader said, “Career Day was helpful for me think through career options. The culinary arts panel stood out to me since I enjoy cooking. It was inspiring to see how much the chef’s love their work.”
“The goal is for students to learn about a wide range of career opportunities,” Clarisa Vargas, KidWorks College & Career Readiness Coordinator says. “Usually, they are familiar with jobs that their parents want for them. Career Day allows them to explore new careers fields that align with their interests.”
Mario O., a 12th grader says, “It was helpful for me to gain a better understading of the skills and education required for different careers.”
“Having the panelists present in person helps break down some of those accessibility barriers and allows our students to truly envision what life could be like working in those industries,” Clarisa says.
The students were also inspired by the words of David Benavides, KidWorks’ Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director.
David, who began his career as a KidWorks intern in 1996, encouraged students to aim high in their career aspirations. He even shared his vision that one day, one of them may also become KidWorks’ top leader, following in his footsteps.
Clarisa thanked the many who made Career Day 2023 so impactful, including KidWorks staff members and Jose Luis Solis from Salsitas Catering “for providing such delicious food for the event! Everyone was so grateful for the food and it was a big highlight of the night.”
A special thanks to our panelists:
Chef Charlie Negrete
Patti Casas
Yolanda Origel
Lloyd Vernis
Corporal Daniel Carrillo
Detective Amanda Miller
Explorer Sgt. Singh
Explorer Sgt. Sanchez
Mario Perez
Rebecca Farahat
Alfredo Padilla
KidWorks’ new vision statement as we celebrate our 30th anniversary is: “We unleash youth potential.” Events like Career Day transform that vision into reality.
By Glenn Leibowitz, volunteer writer