STEPHENSON — A career fair organized by the West Bagley Homemakers recently brought around 40 businesses and organizations to the Stephenson High School gymnasium, where they set up tables and met with over 300 students from four area schools to discuss possible routes for the future.

Carney-Nadeau Public School, Menominee High School and North Central Area Schools bussed students from ninth through 12th grades to Stephenson’s campus for the event, which was designed to introduce them to not only what opportunities exist after school but also “what they need to learn educationally while still in high school (and) how they can develop their careers for when they get out of high school,” said Susan Massarini, president of the West Bagley Homemakers. “Some of them, while they’re in high school, start working part-time.”

In 2022, the Homemakers — who in the past have organized fundraisers for a few different groups, including local volunteer fire departments and victims of household fires — began to provide scholarships for Stephenson and Carney-Nadeau students who would be going into trade and techical schools. In April of 2023, they arranged for the first career fair to be held at Stephenson High School.

Last year’s was well-received, and some local businesses were successful in recruiting, but only about 120 kids had attended — from Stephenson, Carney-Nadeau, and a handful from Menominee who were in the welding class.

“When we approached them about doing another career fair — because it benefits the students, it benefits the communities, it benefits definitely all of the businesses that need help — they asked if we could extend it out to all of Menominee, to Wausaukee and up to North Central,” Massarini explained.

Wausaukee High School ended up not making it, but the second career fair at Stephenson High School was still much busier than the first, with staggered arrivals of students entering the gym and learning about the options before them.

There were higher education institutions Bay College, Northeast Wisconsin Technical School and Northern Michigan University, plus those that specialize in certain programs, like Midwest Truck Driving School and North Country Electrical Line and Heavy Equipment School. Medical providers such as Menominee Health Services and Aurora Health Care had booths alongside businesses Adam’s Drywall Service, Fincantieri Marine Group, Baker Building Supply and more. Students also engaged with recruiters from the U.S. Air Force, Army, Marine Corps and Navy, plus the City of Stephenson and the Fire Departments from both Marinette and Menominee. One booth was offering information about Forward Careers and The Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act.

At least one face returned in a new capacity. Electrical Apprentice Jacob Ross sat behind a table in an RT Electric shirt this time, but during the previous career fair, he’d been on the other side as a senior at Stephenson High School.

Ross said he had been considering an electrical career in 2023, but hadn’t made up his mind. As a student, he was still debating what to do but knew he was serious about exploring the available paths at the fair.

“I came in here with an open mind, and I just didn’t want to bum around, I was actually looking,” Ross said.

He had been with another friend who suggested stopping at the RT Electric table. The company ended up hiring three strong workers they had met at that event — in addition to Ross, Tristan Kacynski from Stephenson and Chance Cornett from Carney-Nadeau are also now employed with RT.

“I’m learning on the job, and I’m staying in the community and being able to help the community grow and strengthen,” Ross said, pointing out that many young adults leave for Green Bay and other areas instead of filling the workforce locally. After 4 years or 8,000 hours in the electrical apprenticeship program, Ross and the others will be able to test to become journeymen with the opportunity to build their careers while remaining in the area or taking their hard-earned skills wherever they choose.