Students to connect with academic programs and potential employers in The World of Work open house event
On Feb. 23, Mesa Community College’s Southern and Dobson campus will host the 2024 World of Work open house event for students from across the east valley to be engaged and excited about starting in a Career and Technical Education program.
This is the sixth time MCC brought this recruiting event to campus with high school juniors and seniors visiting to learn more about college programs and job opportunities.
Student drop off and check in will begin at 9:30 a.m. outside the basketball gym where CTE t-shirts, registration bags, booklets and wristbands will be handed out.
Students will then proceed through eight different breakout sessions scattered around the Southern and Dobson campus such as a virtual reality experience, a visit to the New Media Lab and a session dedicated to the college’s new bachelor degrees.
Located outside the clock tower will be the event’s resource fair where programs and workforce partners will be setting up tables to talk with students. Sister colleges and universities will also be in attendance to speak to students including East Valley Institute of Technology, Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, Grand Canyon University, and GateWay Community College.
Students will also have free catering and lunch served from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. at the MU Patio.
According to student services manager Greg Reents, the event was originally focused on career and technical education programs such as construction and data analytics, but migrated in the last 2 years to include academic programs such as foreign language and philosophy.
The event has also grown by gaining new sponsorships supporting the event each year.
“Mesa Community College has a great reputation so there’s lots of students that are interested in enrolling and they just don’t know the depth of our CTE programs and academic programs that are available to them, so it’s an event that highlights it in a really engaging kind of fun like fair atmosphere,” said Reents.
Reents acknowledged the importance of employment and the cost of living, stating that the programs the event tries to focus can lead to careers that bring good income.
Reents expressed his excitement for students to get to speak with industry professionals and to experience what it’s like to be on a college campus.
“I hope they open their minds to their academic journey, that a university or a college is not their only pathway to success. Our career in technical education programs they vary from six credits to 70 credits in bio med, so a lot of our students they’re trying to improve their lives, they’re trying to earn a decent living, and they’re trying to get in and out of school as quickly as possible so they can start their new careers,” said Reents
Reents touched on the many CTE programs the college had to offer and the hopes of getting student work in the industry as soon as possible.
“Our career and technical education programs from dental hygiene, to geo spacing, to architecture and 3D, and machining and things of that nature, allow our students to get an education that’s certified within the industry, what the industry wants, and then to begin to work immediately for those companies,” added Reents.
Reents closed his statements by applauding the college’s faculty and those who believe the power of their voice really helps the growth and enrollment of their program.
Reents acknowledged he wanted to recognize everyone on campus such as student life, the American Indian Institute, Enrollment Services, and New Frontiers for Lifelong Learning. Students and volunteers from within these programs will all be looking to participate to make this a real collective event and experience. Students can register on mesacc.edu by Feb. 16. Programs, business and industry partners, and sponsors are also still open to sign up through the forms available on the website.
