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Date: 4/17/2023
PALMER — Palmer High School sent students on a field trip to the library, where they were able to meet with a variety of representatives from health organizations in the area to learn more about pursuing a career in the health care field.
The fair was hosted and funded by River East School-to-Career Inc., a nonprofit whose “mission is to promote K-16 career education and to assist in preparing youth for the demands of the 21st century workplace,” according to their website. Partnership Director for the nonprofit Amy Scribner said the fair was for students in their nine partnership school districts — Belchertown, Longmeadow, Minnechaug, Monson, Palmer, Pathfinder, Quaboag, Tantasqua and Ware — who are interested in pursuing careers in healthcare.
Students were provided the opportunity to explore career choices in healthcare as well as speak with and gather information and resources from local organizations within the healthcare fields, Scribner said.
“Career exploration fairs are important because it helps students make informed decisions regarding their career and educational goals,” she added.
Participating organizations were Baystate Health, Baystate Health Reference Labs, Lincoln Technical Institute, Mental Health Association, Palmer Ambulance, Palmer Library, Scantic Valley YMCA, Springfield Technical Community College Sims Lab, Western New England University Pharmacy and Physician Assistant programs and Western Area Massachusetts Dietetic Association.
Ethan King and Dexter Amadasun, both seniors at Palmer High School, said they have decided to pursue pharmaceutical studies in college next year. Both students cited the desire to help people within a career in healthcare, but didn’t have an interest in nursing and also did not want to commit the time it would take to become a doctor, so the pharmaceutical field appealed to them.
Scribner said, “The students told us they really appreciate the opportunity to speak with people who have real-world experience in these career fields and make connections. I feel students do get a lot from these career fairs because the students are interested in careers in healthcare and it gives them the ability to speak with people who are currently working in a variety of healthcare career fields.”
“Our goal is to give all students the academic, technical/technological, and employability skills necessary to be successful in the workplace,” Scribner said.