New Hampton High School and Iowa BIG North host successful Networking and Opportunity Fair

Friday, April 12, 2019

NEW HAMPTON—New Hampton High School students and Iowa BIG North hosted a successful, energizing Networking and Opportunity Fair at the high school on April 3. The event, held for the first time this year, provided opportunities for students to network with local businesses and learn more about careers.

The networking fair had a unique spin on the familiar and traditional career fair. Instead of an environment where students roam from employer to employer, the students completed a survey before attending that prioritized five careers where they have interest and two New Hampton businesses that they wanted to attend the fair, according to Holly O’Brien, Northeast Iowa Community College Career Learning Link coach.

“Students visited with three different businesses at the Networking and Opportunity Fair: the first was their top choice, the second one as something ‘on their radar’ as a career option and the third was a non-traditional career choice. It was kind of like a ‘speed dating’ event,” O’Brien explained. After speed dating, students and businesses separated into career cluster career panels to participate in an open forum led by student questions.

Following the career panel, students and businesses to reconnected one-on-one to answer any other questions, learn about possible scholarships and business sponsorships, and some cases to apply for immediate job openings.

All New Hampton juniors and seniors prepared for the event last month by practicing proper interview etiquette, researching the businesses they plan to visit and coming up with questions for the speed dating portion, as well as for the career panels. Representatives from local companies also prepared for their conversations and engagement with students, knowing that the interactions they have may be some of the last opportunities to engage with graduating seniors before they leave for college.

“The event was fantastic. We received tons of positive feedback from businesses, students and teachers. Forty-five different businesses participated, most with at least two representatives, and we hosted seven individual career panels with at least eight business members and approximately 25 students,” O’Brien added.

Members of the Chickasaw County Sector Board participated in the fair and gained five new members among the business representatives attending. In addition to discussing a long-term vision for the region’s workforce, the Chickasaw County Sector Board members are active partners in the College’s Career Learning Link program. Career Learning Link and employers are providing work-based learning experiences that assist high school juniors and seniors with career planning.

For more information about Career Learning Link and Northeast Iowa Community College career services offered in New Hampton, visit www.nicc.edu/newhampton or contact O’Brien at (563) 562-3263, ext. 144, or obrienh@nicc.edu.