Every year, TIA brings over 250+ students and teachers together from the four campuses to show the many career opportunities that await them once they graduate high school or college. They hear a keynote speech, then they have the opportunity to visit many different booths that are represented by local and national businesses. After lunch, they visit booths from a dozen different colleges.
Some Careers Require a College Education and Some Do Not
Some of the careers featured at the College and Career Fair, like becoming an architect or working for the F.B.I. require a formal college education. However, students are also shown other career choices such as joining the border patrol, police force, chef, beauty school or a career in construction. Many of these choices require certificates and or licenses from a trade schools or a minor degree from a junior college. Each career exhibitors bring something representative of their work to share with the students. Some booths had demonstrations of a “day in the life” of a particular job, while others shared hands-on activities so students could “experience” what is required of them on
the job.
Every Year the List of Businesses and Colleges That Participates Grows
Every year the list of businesses and colleges that participate grows as does the list of students that attend. It has become a huge success for all involved. Some of the local businesses that have participated in the past are Target, Costco, Arizona Public Media, R.O.T.C., Sandovol Creative, Tucson Sheriff Department, Tucson Police Department, Tucson Airport Authority, FBI, Border Patrol, and many more. Some of the colleges participating are The Art Institute, ITT Technical Institute, University of Arizona, Grand Canyon University, Tucson College of Beauty, The Drawing Studio, Inc., Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Arizona State University, and Northern Arizona University.
How It All Started
Career Days were started in 2008 by Mr. Montemayor and Mr. Von Croft. Mr Montemayor’s class of 20 students were each paired up with a local businessman or woman to shadow on the job for a few hours. The next year Mr. Montmayer offered the shadowing option to two of his classes. The students learned so much that they decided to offer the program district-wide. The amount of students that were interested in the program made it impossible to provide shadowing opportunities for them all of them, so the College and Career Fair was born in 2012. Now many organizations, local businesses, and colleges come to the students in one place.
Facebook link to College & Career Days 2014
