Around 200 students gather in the Multipurpose Room Feb. 26 to meet with professionals from almost 16 different career clusters. Holding this career fair, exposes students to a variety of career paths which is an integral part of high school.

“I think it’s an important experience and opportunity for high school students to have, whether they are decided on a career or still exploring,” Qina Hong (10) said. “It gives high school students an opportunity to get their questions answered, to learn more about different careers, whether they are considering it or learning about new paths, and to network and interact with professionals in their field.”

The career fair is also a good opportunity to interact with people at a professional level, and asking questions can show real initiative.

“I would recommend that students put their best foot forward by acting professional and respectful as well as having questions prepared,” Madison Stockwell (12) said. “I would also say to take advantage of this unique opportunity because you will never know when you need to use a connection.”

Every year, the career fair is held at the beginning of second semester. It has been a popular event for the past three years, allowing many students to get insight on a profession of interest.

“I found it really insightful and interesting, and I was able to ask a lot of my questions and get information about careers I might be interested in one day,” Hong said.

Compared to last year the students participating and professionals attending has increased by a lot with more and more students showing interest. This year’s career fair was also more organized with a lot of advertising and coordination.

“The biggest change was the involvement of the LEF, especially Jill Crane,” Activities Coordinator Gregory Kendall said. “Her connection to the community through our alumni base allowed for a more directed recruitment of former Rams to participate. Also, Laila Crabtree who directs our Curriculum and Instruction for the district worked to organize the professionals into groups that match the Department of Education’s career clusters.”

Besides the career fair, there are many other ways for students to get involved in a career of interest.

“For many reasons, students should get involved in the co-curricular offerings we have at Ladue,” Kendall said. “There are over 80 different clubs and organizations currently active at Ladue, so there is very likely a group that caters to your interests.”

Specialized programs also offer students a unique opportunity to explore career choices.

“Ladue provides lots of opportunities to students to learn about different careers through the Catalyst program as well as other programs like South Tech,” Stockwell said. “We also have an amazing alumni network and parents who love to help students whenever they can.”