by: Brian Chenault, Community Outreach Planner

“A World of Opportunity.” That was the theme of this year’s Youth Career Expo sponsored by the Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce and the Peninsula Council for Workforce Development.    On March 26, 2013, the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization (HRTPO) staff joined  60 exhibitors on the floor of the Hampton Roads Convention Center, and connected  with over 2,800 Peninsula high school students from Hampton, Newport News, Poquoson, York, Gloucester, and James City County about career choices after high school and/or college. 

From success workshops to mock interviews, students had the opportunity to speak with professionals from various “worlds” – Shipbuilding, Advanced Manufacturing, Government-Public Safety, Finance, Construction, Hospitality, STEM, Defense-Aerospace, Education, Automotive, Green Jobs, Healthcare and Transportation – about the diversity of careers available to them, education requirements, and necessary skills to be successful in the workplace.    

For businesses and other exhibitors, the Expo was a chance to connect with the future workforce. Specifically, the HRTPO staff had the opportunity to impact and inspire future users of our region’s transportation system.    This included introducing students  to the role of the HRTPO in the transportation decision making process, the fields of engineering and urban planning, and encouraging  students  to play an active role in shaping Hampton Roads’ transportation future.

Photos courtesy: Bob Harper Photography