SCC hosts Career Expo and Apprenticeship Day for students and community
In partnership with Columbus County Schools and Whiteville City Schools, Southeastern Community College hosted its annual Career Expo and Apprenticeship Day on April 29, bringing together 37 businesses and hundreds of students and community members on campus. The event connected employers with high school students from Whiteville High School, South Columbus High School, West Columbus High School, East Columbus Jr./Sr. High School, Thomas Academy and Columbus Career and College Academy. SCC students and members of the Columbus County community also attended throughout the day.
Employers represented a wide range of industries including healthcare, education, public safety, manufacturing, construction, information technology, banking, utilities, hospitality and the military. Business representatives spoke with students about job opportunities and the products and services their organizations provide. Many companies also distributed free information packets and promotional items such as pens, cups, hand sanitizer, pencils, back scratchers and magnetic clips.
Dr. Brandon Jenkins, SCC’s Executive Vice President and Chief Academic Officer, said the event helped broaden students’ understanding of career options. “For many high school students, events like the Career Expo are an eye-opening moment as they learn about career fields they had never heard of,” Jenkins said. “In many cases, a lot of students turn into sponges and do their best to soak it all in and ask really good questions of our employer vendors.”
Jenkins said local businesses played an important role in the experience. “Our business partners show an absolute willingness to answer students’ questions and to serve as a valuable resource in students’ career explorations,” he said. He added that community colleges serve as a direct link to the local workforce through partnerships like the Career Expo and Apprenticeship Day.
Angie Ransom, SCC’s Associate Vice President of Education and Training, said the Career Expo and Apprenticeship Day event was a combined effort to help industry partners reach as many people as possible all on one day. This saved time and workdays for industry partners to visit one location on one day instead of multiple locations across multiple days.
“By all accounts, this was a great success for the industry partners and the students,” Ransom said. “I was amazed at the questions that students were asking industry partners, and the demonstration from Brunswick Electric was very popular.”
Ransom explained that exposure and interactions with business representatives were key takeaways from the Career Expo and Apprenticeship Day event. She said that students gained insights into which careers are available to them in “their own backyard.”
Chalisse Neely, SCC’s Apprenticeship Specialist, said the event created meaningful connections between students and employers. She observed students showing both curiosity and uncertainty as they explored different options. “Many were engaged when speaking with employers, especially when they found something that interested them,” Neely explained. “It was rewarding to see students become more confident as they discussed their interests and future goals.”
Ken Buck, SCC’s Career and Technical Education Coordinator and organizer of the event, said the goal was to link classroom learning with real-world opportunities. He said the expo provided direct access to employers while highlighting postsecondary programs available at SCC. Buck added that holding the event on campus allowed students from across the district to see the college’s facilities and learn about programs that could improve their employability.
Shauna Treadaway, Education Associate and Volunteer Coordinator for Columbus Regional Healthcare System, said the event provided an effective way to introduce students to a wide range of career options. She added that Southeastern Community College played an important role in building those connections.
“Overall, it’s a great way to showcase the different career pathways that are available to students and allow employers to start that conversation about how to obtain the necessary skills for a future career,” Treadaway said. “SCC does a great job connecting both high school and college students to employers in Columbus County and beyond,” she said.
The Career Expo was combined with National Apprenticeship Week, which was observed April 26 through May 2. Denise Young, SCC’s Director of Apprenticeship Programs, said the combined event gave students access to both immediate employment opportunities and long-term career pathways. By bringing employers, apprenticeship programs and students together, Young said SCC helped participants explore paid, hands-on training options and prepare for workforce success before or after graduation.
Ready to train for a new career? Summer and fall semester registration is open now. Visit A-Building at SCC or call 910-788-6247 to get started!
