If you do only one thing today, watch this 1-minute video of the NW Youth Careers Expo created by some very talented students from Portland Public Schools.
It shows the energy and vibrancy of the annual Expo. Just as important, it shows what teenagers are capable of when given the opportunity to develop passions and skills.
More than 6,000 students from about 70 high schools explored careers at the Oregon Convention Center on March 14 during our 13th annual Expo. We’re grateful for the many employers and volunteers who participated, filling about 170 booths and packing the hall with hands-on demonstrations and mock interviews.
We deeply appreciate the educators and career coordinators who brought students to the Expo and encouraged them to think about next steps, such as summer internships, CTE classes or college possibilities.
On the morning of the Expo, nearly 500 people gathered for our annual PWA Expo Breakfast. We celebrated students and heard from education leaders who urged more employers to get involved. We also heard from Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and top Nike designer Tinker Hatfield, who addressed students directly.
“The future we want,” Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler told the 120+ students present, “is for you to have that education, to have those skills…to be able to qualify for those higher-wage jobs.”
Finally, congratulations to the winners of our door prizes at the breakfast. Whitney Ranson of SRG Partnership won a Blazers ticket package, compliments of Daimler. Jeremy Sloan of Incight and Janet Rucker-Smith of Lee Hecht Harrison each won a $50 Nike gift card and employee store pass, donated by Nike.
As always, thank you for supporting Oregon’s schools and future workforce through community-based career education. You are making a difference!
