The Socorro Independent School District, in partnership with Workforce Borderplex Solutions, had a virtual Job Con event May 5 for students to learn more about various career pathways and postsecondary educational opportunities.
The Job Con was offered to sophomores, juniors and seniors who were enrolled in the financial literacy and career prep classes within SISD’s career and technical education program.
“We were fortunate enough to have so many students participate in Job Con this year,” said David Esparza, CTE college, career readiness coordinator for SISD. “We had a wide array of presenters from the military to the trucking industry to TV news anchors as well as many other occupations.”
During the Job Con, students had one-on-one conversations with employers, learned about certain career paths and educational opportunities in the area and received endless advice on how to land their dream job after high school.
Almost 500 students from across the district participated in this year’s virtual Job Con, which gave them the opportunity to take their networking skills to the next level.
Julian Hita, a junior and CTE student at Montwood High School, said he has been passionate about journalism since he was young because he thinks it is important to let society know what is going on in our world today.
“The Job Con has opened up plenty of opportunities for me,” Hita said. “Especially because I have been able to choose what career path is good for me, and that is really important to me.”
The event also taught the students what is required to succeed in their desired pathway, such as skills and certifications, along with giving them insight on possible apprenticeships and internships available in the region.
SISD CTE business and industry coordinator Brenda Gonzalez said Job Con shows students why and how core courses in CTE pathways contribute to the foundation of knowledge needed to be successful in various careers.
“It’s very different from just learning things in the classroom,” she said. “The hands-on training and experience these students are receiving in our program shows them real life scenarios at a young age.”
Published June 9, 2021
Strategic Direction: College and Career Readiness