River Valley Students Connect with Regional Employers at Career Expo

Graduating seniors from across the River Valley connected with more than 50 employers today during the River Valley Career Launch event at the Peak Innovation Center in Fort Smith.

The Career Expo reflects a collaborative effort between local schools, higher education partners, the chamber, and regional employers to help students successfully transition from high school to meaningful careers.

Today’s expo brought approximately 700 students from 15 regional schools, including Fort Smith’s Northside and Southside High Schools, and about half of the businesses conducted on-site interviews with students. 

“We were pleased to partner with the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce and University of Arkansas - Fort Smith to host the event at Peak,” Mr. Mahan, the Fort Smith Public Schools superintendent, said. “By bringing employers, education partners, and students together in one place, we are helping our seniors take the next step toward meaningful careers in the River Valley area upon graduating high school.” 

“Students represent our future workforce, and it is critical that they understand the quality companies, industries, and career paths that exist beyond high school.  In 2019, Signing Day was created to intentionally bring employers and students together, strengthening our talent pipeline and reinforcing our commitment to long-term workforce development in our region. We are excited to see this tradition continue through the Fort Smith Public Schools River Valley Career Launch,” Tim Allen, President and CEO of the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce, said. 

Throughout the day, students visited employer booths, learned about career opportunities, and spoke directly with representatives about available positions and career pathways. To further support students in the application process, the University of Arkansas-Fort Smith hosted two on-site computer labs to allow students to complete online applications and build professional profiles on social networking platforms.

The Career Launch event is the second in a series of three events to connect students with businesses and industries. Held in February, Industry Days was the first event and connected students with industry representatives to learn more about careers at their companies. The third and final event — Launch to Success — will be held May 4 at the Peak Center and will recognize graduating seniors who have been hired, as well as the employers who hired them.

To learn more about the Career and Technical Education programs offered at Peak, visit https://peak.fortsmithschools.org/.