Rockford high school freshmen surprised at number of local job opportunities

LOVES PARK, Ill. (WTVO) – The 2024 Rockford Public Schools Academy Expo is not meant to help lock freshmen into specific careers.

It does, however, expose first-year high school students to jobs they can land after high school or college, even the ones they didn’t even realize existed.

“I didn’t know there were this many job opportunities, and I am really excited to graduate so I can figure out what I want to do,” said Guilford freshman Georgia Eklund.

Eklund was one of 2,000 RPS freshmen to attend the expo Wednesday at the Mercyhealth Indoor Sports Complex in Loves Park.

School officials say the expo allows kids to identify the careers they might enjoy and eliminate the ones they’re unlikely to pursue.

“People are always pushing college, but there are so many careers where you don’t need college,” said Katy Haun, career academy coach at Auburn High School. “There are so many careers available here in the local area.”

From the trades to college to culinary arts, dozens of advisors and employers took park in the annual event, knowing that some students will pursue degrees and that others will join the military and the workforce. Some graduates will be unsure of what to do next.

“It plants different seeds of what they can do and they are capable of doing and what the options are within our community,” said Greg Harle, training director for Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 23.

The expo also helps students choose an RPS 205 academy, a learning community to help them on their pathway to college or a job.

“I am thinking about the service academy, but I am not sure yet,” said Guilford freshman Grace Henert. “We are going to look around today.”

The district’s four academies are Business, Arts, Modern World Languages, and Information Technology (BAMIT); Engineering, Manufacturing, Industrial and Trades Technology (EMITT); Health Sciences (HS) and Human and Public Services (HPS).

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