HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE — Students in Brooke High School’s automotive technologies program gathered around the engine they have worked on in class at one of many booths during the school’s Career Technical Education Fair Thursday. The event offered students an opportunity to learn about many career technical education courses offered by the school. -- Warren Scott

WELLSBURG — Brooke County students on Thursday learned about high school courses they may take to prepare them for a variety of careers and had an opportunity to meet with local employers seeking applicants with the skills taught there.

Michael Berner, the school district’s director of career technical education, said the CTE Fair offered eighth-graders from nearby Brooke Middle School as well as students at the high school a chance to learn more about the many fields they may pursue through 14 programs offered there.

He added that thanks to the participation of 46 businesses and organizations, students currently enrolled in the programs could learn of employment opportunities available locally.

“If you look at this community, there are good paying jobs available to our students with those skill sets,” said Berner, who added many of the guests from the business community, “are excited to see what’s offered here and the kind of students we have.”

He said 500 of about 850 students at the high school are enrolled in its career technical programs.

ON THE SCENE — Molly Powell, regional apprenticeship coordinator for the Ohio Laborers Union, was interviewed by Anna Hamilton and Sarabeth, students in Brooke High School’s broadcasting technologies program, one of many career technical education programs offered by the school during a fair, Thursday. -- Warren Scott

The programs include: administrative support, accounting and finance, marketing management, computer science programming, principles of business, carpentry, auto collision repair, early childhood education, broadcasting technologies, electrical technician, biomedical science, welding, engineering, therapeutic services, through which students may become certified nursing assistants; and automotive technologies.

Berner added Brooke High School students also can earn two years of college credit toward a teaching degree through the state’s Grow Your Own Pathway to Teaching initiative.

He noted students also may earn college credits through the school’s partnerships with West Virginia Northern Community College and Bethany College.

Among the school’s many guests was Amy Grant, a human resources and recruitment specialist for Weirton Medical Center.

Grant confirmed there remains a shortage of nurses in West Virginia. She said to help address that problem, the hospital is offering up to $20,000 in scholarship funds to eligible students who complete a two- or four-year college program in nursing in exchange for a three-year commitment to work at WMC.

She added the hospital also has hired students in high school health profession programs to work during the summer assisting patients in a non-medical capacity, assist with clerical tasks or work in food service and groundskeeping.

Grant said while the positions don’t involve medical care, they offer a chance for students to become familiar with a hospital setting.

“We have several Brooke High School students working already and they do an excellent job,” she said.

Also on hand was Mandy Crow, district human resources manager for the West Virginia Division of Highways, who said, “We’ve got a variety of positions we’re looking to fill. We need engineers, holders of commercial driver licenses for road maintenance, mechanics at any level and people for clerical jobs.”

Crow added graduates interested in working with civil engineers to design, build and maintain roads and bridges may undergo online instruction for certification as a transportation engineering certification while working there.

Also participating were representatives of American Muscle Docks and Fabrication and Merco Marine, two Wellsburg companies that have produced dock facilities and related products for public and private customers in many states and abroad.

Joan Simonetti, resource manager for American Muscle Docks and Fabrication, said the business is working with both Brooke High School and Jefferson County Vocational School to establish internships through which students, particularly those with welding experience, may gain hands-on experience.

Dan Otto, co-owner of Merco Marine, said he was “wearing his hat” as president of the Wellsburg Chamber of Commerce on Thursday.

“My primary goal today is to help promote the trades,” he said.

Otto said demands in the workforce seem to occur in waves, and there currently is a strong need for individuals with a variety of technical or mechanical skills.

He noted he completed a drafting program in high school and earned a two-year associate degree before going on to work for and ultimately head Merco with co-owner Scott Gallagher.

Otto suggested that a strongly motivated high school graduate with the training and often, certification, offered through high school career technical programs may successfully establish his or her own business following graduation.

Rod Pattison, the school’s auto body instructor, was among many career technical teachers on hand.

He could be seen reminding students to pick up the business cards of the professionals with whom they spoke, noting they may serve as future contacts.

Pattison said there are about 25 students, male and female, in his class, whose projects have included work for local government entities, including painting a Wellsburg police cruiser.

He said many of his former students have gone on to work at local auto garages and service departments.

Sophia Cecchini and Gracie Williams, juniors from Wellsburg, were among many who visited Weirton Medical Center’s booth.

Cecchini said she is enrolled in Brooke’s biomedical science program and is interested in one day establishing a family medical practice.

“I’ve always wanted to be in the medical field,” she said.

Williams said she received a lot of information at the fair, including details of the hospital’s summer work program, which she said would be a good start in pursuing a career in the medical field.