381 Companies Engage Thousands of Georgia Students
Charles Crosby owns his own construction company in Atlanta. Every year he carves out three full days to volunteer for the Construction Education Foundation of Georgia (CEFGA) CareerExpo and SkillsUSA State Championships.
He is one of more than 1,000 industry volunteers who make the event happen. This year, he decided to do a little something extra. He reached out to a middle school in his own community – Sandy Springs – and invited them to the event. His extra work paid off. Sandy Springs Charter Middle showed up with a busload of 44 students.
“When I overheard one of the Sandy Springs students tell her teacher this was the best field trip ever, then I saw other students hugging their teacher and telling her ‘thank you,’ that was a good moment,” Crosby said.
This year’s edition of the CEFGA CareerExpo and SkillsUSA State Championships was the biggest and best in the event’s 10-year history. There were 7,212 total attendees, including 5,111 students. While most of the students were from high schools, the event did see a record number of middle school students with 637.
The event featured a record 381 participating companies and organizations, including presenting sponsor the Governor’s Office of Workforce Development.
“This career expo is an exceptional showcase of Georgia’s talented young people,” said Georgia Governor Nathan Deal. “I applaud the efforts of the Construction Education Foundation of Georgia and SkillsUSA for providing students with firsthand job experience that enhances their education and guides them toward rewarding careers.”
You can find more information through the following four links, or at the CEFGA website.
Watch a 5½ minute video of some highlights from this year’s event.
View the official event photos on Facebook.
Read the full report.
See a complete list of the 381 participating companies who sponsored the CareerExpo.
What
The CEFGA CareerExpo is Georgia’s largest event designed specifically for young adults to explore more than 30 Career Pathways, ranging from Tile Setter to Safety Professional and Line Worker to Heavy Equipment Operator.
The CareerExpo is divided into different “Worlds.” Each World is designed to be fun, interactive and educational, with a specific focus on how academics (math, science, etc) are used on the job and what types of careers are available. Students interact with hundreds of industry professionals from more than 380 companies, apprenticeship programs, colleges, and universities.
The SkillsUSA State Championships take place on the center stage, and feature the best high school and technical college talent in the state. Four hundred students compete in 26 different skill competitions (e.g. Carpentry, Masonry, Plumbing, Electrical, Welding). Students are judged by industry volunteers on project completion, accuracy, safety and other industry-based criteria.
Winners of the State Competition advance to the National Championships in Kansas City, June 23-27, 2014.
Why
To encourage Georgia students to consider and explore careers in construction and energy.
Scope
The event covers an area the size of six football fields, divided into 13 Worlds and 26 SkillsUSA Competitions.
The Numbers for 2014 (March 13-14, 2014)
- 7,212 Attendees
- 5,111 Students
- 963 Influencers
- 1,138 Industry Volunteers / Employers
- 233 Schools
- 381 Companies
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