CARLSBAD — Sage Creek High School’s annual job and internship fair highlighting professional opportunities with local businesses, nonprofits and colleges returned on April 6 after a two-year hiatus.
The JIVE Expo (Jobs, Internship, Vocational and Educational) hosts more than 25 vendors offering a variety of opportunities to Sage Creek’s student body. The students crash the school’s courtyard at lunch, visiting a number of organizations ranging from the City of Carlsbad and Palomar College to Handle’s Ice Cream, Chick-Fil-A and the Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation.
The event’s goal, according to Renee Sanchez-Bujewski, president of the Sage Creek Parent Teachers Student Association, is to connect students with local businesses and job opportunities.
“It’s great to see all the vendors, community partners and great that the kids have this opportunity,” Sanchez-Bujewski said. “It’s a really good opportunity to practice your elevator pitch about yourself, get a taste of what it’s like to meet a recruiter, do on-the-spot interviews and promote yourself.”
Arianna Sharifi, a 15-year-old freshman who also helped organize the event, said her goals were to network and see how the vendors in attendance may relate to her career aspirations in the field of medicine.
Sharifi said she was interested in potentially working or volunteering at a retirement home specializing in elder care or at the Carlsbad Fire Department. Sharifi is looking to make a difference in her community.
“I want to learn how to take care of the elderly,” Sharifi said. “I want to pursue a career in medicine, and this would be a great opportunity.”
Principal Jesse Schuveiller said it was great for the students to get opportunities to better prepare for college and careers and it’s important for businesses and organizations to interact with the students on campus.
Also, a large variety of opportunities is more likely to reach a wider range of students, Schuveiller said.
Sanchez-Bujewski said the PTSA branched out its offerings with the additions of Palomar and MiraCosta colleges, the latter of which was advertising careers in water.
“Some want a summer job, some are exploring industry-sector internships and are able to get connected with many organizations,” Schuveiller said. “If anything, it plants a seed and gets them to start thinking, not only about their immediate future, but their long-term future as well.”
