MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Workforce Investment Network or WIN hosted a career fair aimed to employ students looking to go straight into the workforce after high school.
The event was for seniors in Shelby County Schools and their parents.
Kirby High School senior Gabrieisha Jones promised her mother before she died she would go to college but the 12th grader can’t afford it right now.
“I was planning on going but I was thinking because my sister, she went to college but she didn’t have the money to pay for some of that stuff so I was like I’m going to take the opportunity of getting money and make it so when I go to college I won’t have to worry about not having the money for it,” she said.
That’s why Jones was one of hundreds of Shelby County high school seniors at Friday’s WIN career fair at the Pipkin Building.
“I plan to get a job to build up my money, then go to college,” she said.
Nearly 50 employers were at the job fair, employers like Kroger, Nike, Fed Ex and students say it was encouraging to see that many employers.
“It feels good to see that I have all these opportunities around, and I feel like it’s going to be a good year for me,” Jones said.
“There are a number of graduating seniors who have yet to make a decision on what they want to do after high school and so what we simply want to expose them to is that yes college is an option, but employment is a viable option as well,” said Kevin Woods; with WIN and a school board member with SCS.
Kenneth Poole wants to be a barber and thinks this is a great shot.
“It’s just an opportunity for us to get a better chance in life,” he said.
A better opportunity for students like Jones, who was already accepted to three colleges but needs to save money first.