The Paulding County Economic Development office hosted a business, industry and college showcase event here this week. The event showcased 52 exhibiters that provide opportunity in or near Paulding County. Businesses, colleges, not-for profit groups, and government offices displayed and highlighted their business to the nearly 400 junior and senior class members from all three Paulding County schools.
“It was great to see the students engaging with the employers, colleges and organizations in attendance. The overall goal for putting on this event is to help build student’s awareness for the opportunities they have in the county and from the feedback we have received I’m glad we were able to accomplish that,” stated Economic Development Office Manager Kristen Schilt.
The event ran from 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 Noon with students arriving at the top of each hour. The Vantage Career Center students from Antwerp, Paulding and Wayne Trace schools attended the first hour. Each school then brought their students on the hour for fifty minutes. The general public and homeschool students were invited to attend at any time.
This year there was an emphasis placed on providing hands on activities. Exhibitors were encouraged to provide a task, or instruction exercise, to engage with students and help them understand their business and how they could immediately play a part being employed with the organization. That could be now or in the future after college.
Paulding County Economic Development (PCED) Director Tim Copsey beamed, “This event just continues to grow. With a previous event under her belt, Kristen took this event by the horns and ran with it. Last year we were ecstatic to grow to 44 exhibitors after covid. This year she brought in another eight on top of that! We had to adjust the floor plan to get everyone in.”
The positive feedback received last year from the exhibitors encouraged the event to be held again this year but the overwhelming positive comments from the students exiting the event this year really made the work seem worthwhile. “We did a better job of meeting with the students at their schools, in their space, before the event and I think that helped them be more receptive to the exhibiters. The interactive activities that the businesses came up with were a positive new piece as well,” stated Schilt.
Upon arrival students were provided a “passport”. The passports suggested a variety of questions to ask presenting businesses to help create conversation. Each student was encouraged to talk to a minimum of five businesses and have the business sign their passport. Completed passports were entered into a drawing for two $25 gift gas cards per school. The cards were sponsored by National Oil & Gas, Inc. They provide fuel to gas stations all over the county.
Copsey concluded, “As great as this event is in educating our students about our local businesses, the networking that takes place amongst the business representatives during down time is equally fulfilling. All of the new introductions and discussions that develop at this event just make it a “must have” event for our county economy. We are excited for the future of Paulding County and how these conversations lead into our Business Advisory Council meetings.
