Hundreds of high school seniors explore their future at career fair

Reporter: Breana Ross Writer: Matthew Seaver
Published: Updated:
2022 Southwest Florida Spring Regional Career Fair (Credit: WINK News)

More than 100 high school seniors leaped into their future on Tuesday. They boarded a bus to the area’s biggest career fair of the year at Suncoast Arena.

Businesses are eager to hire young people. The arena was full of employers anxious to hire. It was a room full of opportunities for high school students like Tony Mireles, a Senior at Estero High School.

“I’ve always wanted to have a job. I’ve always wanted to look for benefits for the future,” said Mireles. “I plan on graduating, getting a good job with benefits.”

He has plenty of jobs to choose from. Eighty Southwest Florida companies from all different industries packed Suncoast Arena Tuesday. They were ready to chat with high school students and anyone prepared to fill out an application and get to work.

“We have incredible needs right now that we are trying to fill, and we just, it has been a little challenging, I will say, with COVID, but that has really been dissipating, and we’re really trying to embrace, I’m getting the new generation,” said Nancy Driscoll, with the recruiting department at B&I Contractors.

“We really try to market to those students to let them know that it is more than just a job. They have career opportunities,” said Sunshine Ace Hardware’s Director of Human Resources Yilda Carniola.

More than 100 students from six different high schools came out to see what careers they could build once they graduate.

“I believe what they are doing here is pretty good for the students that aren’t good at school or are good at school and just want to help their families,” said Mireles.

“This gives us the opportunity to explore and see what we could potentially work on and do,” said Lucy Severe, a senior at Dunbar High School.

“For high school students to be able to do this is just a really big opportunity for all of us,” said Kayli Sanchez, a senior at South Fort Myers High School.

The career fair was an opportunity for students to see what is out there and for businesses ready to put people to work.

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