In recognition of Career and Technical Education Month in February, Cumberland County Schools will host the Annual Career Pathway Fair for 5th, 8th and 12th-grade students on Friday, Jan. 23, at the Charlie Rose Agri-Expo Center.

The purpose of the Career Pathway Fair is to provide students with hands-on exposure to future career options and workforce pathways through engaging, real-world activities hosted by close to 200 business, industry and post-secondary partners.

The Career Pathway Fair will open with a ribbon-cutting to recognize and thank the Workforce Empowerment Level Sponsors: Chemours and Cape Fear Valley Health. Additional sponsors include C&S Commercial Properties, NUWBNS Inc. and FirstHealth of the Carolinas.

Participating organizations represent a wide range of career pathways, including: Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources, Architecture & Construction, Arts, Audio/Video Technology & Communication, Business Management & Administration, Education & Training, Finance, Government & Public Administration, Health Science, Hospitality & Tourism, Human Services, Information technology, Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security, Manufacturing, Marketing, STEM, Transportation, Distribution & Logistics.

“I think my favorite part of the event, truthfully, is when the students enter…I love getting that first look of the students' faces and their excitement as they enter the fair, because there are so many businesses there, there are balloons, it’s exciting and there are just so many people there. So I love getting that first look of seeing their faces just light up as they enter it,” shared Cumberland County Schools’ Career Development Coordinator Emily Freeman.

The schedule for the day is as follows:

• 5th Grade: 9:00 AM – 10:30 a.m.

• Undecided High School Seniors: 10:30 AM – 11:30 a.m.

• 8th Grade: 12:00 PM – 1:30 p.m.

“This year, we're focusing on our undecided high school seniors, due to the fact that we just want to make it more targeted… [We] hope that those seniors can not only network and explore new opportunities, but that some of those students will walk away with job interviews or even just connections made for internships and things like that,” added Freeman.

This event will bring together all schools in the county, offering a unique opportunity to connect with students exploring their academic and career pathways. Around 3000 students are expected to attend this year’s Career Pathway Fair.

Businesses can register for the career fair until Tuesday, Jan. 20. Fill out this form to reserve your spot.