Bluff Country Collaborative (BCC) hosted a Career and Technical Education event at the Caledonia High school on Thursday, September 22 and invited several area BBC partner schools to participate including Caledonia, Spring Grove, Houston, Rushford-Peterson and Fillmore Central. Approximately 500 students attended the event. Area businesses and colleges were invited to provide promotional and educational material allowing the students to explore what careers are available in various fields. Twenty-four vendors were present at the event. The students were given bingo cards listing clues to a number of career fields and upon completing the cards, students were entered into a door prize drawing with items donated by participating businesses and colleges. The event also included break-out sessions where students were offered an opportunity to learn more about specific areas of interest.
Bluff Country Collaborative partners with schools and businesses offering innovative opportunities for engagement while building a workforce pipeline through experiential learning. Operating through funding from grants and donations, BCC is able to provide free events such as the career fair mentioned and to promote activities including job-shadowing, apprenticeships, mentorships, and work-based learning in an effort to connect business, education, local government, and organizations committed to the economic sustainability of the region.
If you wish to learn more about serving as a mentor or to provide other hands-on learning experiences to high school youth, contact MaryAnne Smith at bccnavigators@gmail.com or Allison Wagner at EDA@co.houston.mn.us for more information.