LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) — Hundreds of high school seniors from across the region connected with potential employers during a large-scale career fair aimed at helping students prepare for life after graduation.
More than 700 students from 14 area schools attended the annual spring career fair hosted by OhioMeansJobs Allen County at the University of Northwestern Ohio Event Center. The event featured more than 100 businesses, offering students the chance to explore career paths, ask questions and build professional connections.
“I think it's really interesting to talk to different people and just get to think about our career, future careers, and get to network with people,” said Eliza Stemen, a senior at Spencerville High School.
Connor Vondrell, a senior at Shawnee High School, said he focused on healthcare-related opportunities as he plans his next steps.
“I'm planning on going to college for biology to become an OT so I'm talking to a lot of the healthcare tables to kind of get my foot in the door. So I have resources to reach out to,” Vondrell said.
Employers also see value in the event as a way to connect with future workers.
“There's a lot of processes that you have to, you know, go through, just people applying, talking with people, seeing what their interests are, promoting our company, and you know why we're a great place to work for,” said Kennedy Fagan, a human resources generalist with Superior Forge.
Fagan said participating in career fairs is a good way to find employees who would be a strong fit for the company.
Organizers noted that the event also included an afternoon session open to the public, expanding opportunities for job seekers beyond high school students.
