We loved having so many join us at the 17th annual virtual NW Youth Careers Expo this week. What an incredible expression of community support for high school students!

Over the past two days, we saw thousands of students, educators and employers interact with each other in the Exhibit Halls, Auditorium and Industry Forums. Attendees logged more than 11,000 unique booth visits per day, joined scores of live booth sessions and viewed on average 1-2 career talks apiece in the auditorium.

"We feel a deep sense of reverence and community for the uncompromising support and engagement from students, educators, employers, and volunteers," said PWA Board President Marcus Carter of Cinder Staffing.

We are especially thankful for:

• The many employers, colleges and training centers that filled 80+ booths and packed the virtual Expo Halls with resources and inspiration.
• The hundreds of volunteers who talked with students, hosted live booth talks and shared their career perspectives.
• The scores of educators and career coordinators who brought students to the Expo in this new way and encouraged them to consider next steps, such as CTE classes and college possibilities.

We’re happy to report that 95% of students in our exit survey described the Expo as excellent or good, and 83% said they felt more prepared to make informed decisions about their career plans. Here are a few of our favorite student comments:

• “Everyone I talked to was very helpful and supportive.”
• “I learned about new things that I had no idea about and I will surely use in the future when applying for a job, writing a resume etc.”
• “It was cool to learn about other fields that I wouldn't have otherwise really looked into.”

Though the live features are completed, students will have access to the virtual Careers Expo platform for more career exploration through Friday, May 14. They can explore booths, watch auditorium career talks and fill their digital backpacks with career resources.

This has been a school year like no other and we’re grateful for the community's support in continuing the Expo tradition for a 17th year. Thanks for helping Oregon’s students develop their career dreams, skills and plans.