Almost 330 Students from Highland View, Joseph Van Pelt, Washington-Lee, and Stonewall Jackson recently attended a career discovery fair at Virginia High School in Bristol, Virginia. Each year, dozens of educators and the Bristol Virginia Public School System invite local public and private sector employers to share information about careers. This year’s format provided student groups with exposure to twelve companies within eleven stations and ten minute group rotations. The represented industries included cosmetology, transportation, manufacturing, information systems, military, guidance systems, education, nursing, and crafters.

Recognizing that these types of events can encourage interest in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math). SVAM (Southwest Virginia Alliance for Manufacturing) and Strongwell decided to create a joint table where students discussed and interacted with manufacturing. As a representative body of the manufacturing sector within SWVA, SVAM worked with small groups in discussing the availability of jobs and how local economies are dependent on manufacturing.

Strongwell’s station addressed an interest from students on how taught classroom skills can be used in the real world. Students were exposed to the functions of a tape measure while identifying length, width, and height of composite parts.
In addition, students were also asked to utilize blueprints in assembling and disassembling a small composite structure with drawings, socket wrenches, nuts, washers, and bolts.

Strongwell would like to thank the school system, event participants, and educators for another great opportunity to showcase the plethora of existing opportunities within our community.