March 20, 2003

Expo offers career choices

Students study more than 40 career fields

By
Herald staff writer

      With advice and experience to share, representatives of more than 40 career fields took part in the 2003 Career Expo sponsored by Traverse City West Senior High as part of the Michigan Career Preparation Initiative.
      More than 375 junior and senior students attended sessions with professionals in fields such as marketing, nursing, journalism, photography, interior design, engineering and landscaping to name a few.
      "The goal of the event is to provide an opportunity for students to connect with people in the work and business community and receive first hand information on a career pathway they may be interested in," said event organizer Jane Kipke of the school's career information center.
      "We had some great people come and share with the students. I'm sure they got something out of it," Kipke said.
      Presenter, Gwen Tafelsky, R.N. shared her enthusiasm for nursing with interested students.
      "I love to talk about nursing and what a great career it can be," said Tafelsky, a floor nurse at Munson Medical Center.
      "There are so many opportunities for scholarships and grants, if you are interested in going into the field there is a good chance you can get somebody else to foot the bill," Tafelsky noted.
      Roger Funkhouser, general manager of the Bayshore Resort, shared advice with students interested in the hospitality business.
      "You will benefit by challenging yourself. You always have to look for ways to improve yourself and your business," Funkhouser said.
      While Scott Williams, president and CEO of Brown Lumber, was there to talk about careers in marketing, but the information he shared would be critical for many career paths.
      "If you can't read and write well, your potential for maximizing your earning potential is slim. Listening skills are also critical," Williams said.
      Though some students found that the Expo confirmed career goals they came in with, others like senior Josh Lady discovered that a particular field might not be right for them.
      "This really helped put things in perspective. I'm still not sure what I want to go into, but I do know that I don't think 12 years of medical school is the route for me," Lady said.