Some 80 students, many accompanied by their parents, attended Whitewater High School’s Career Fair Wednesday. The event, which was held in the school’s library, featured 12 area companies and organizations, all of which provided representatives to talk with students about paid and volunteer job and career skills opportunities available at their businesses and institutions or within their industries. Tables with literature, giveaways and treats were manned by local businesses including Generac, Provisur Technologies, Fairhaven Senior Services, Culver’s, Golder Hospitality, First Citizens State Bank and Southern Lakes Plumbing and Heating. Nonprofit organization, Makerspace, was also on hand, as well as several departments affiliated with the City of Whitewater, including the police department, fire department, and parks and recreation department. The director of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater’s buildings and grounds department was also on hand to talk about job opportunities available on campus. In addition, the two-hour evening event featured free food and door prizes provided by Culver’s, Toppers Pizza, Cozumel and Kwik Trip. Photos of the event follow.
Whitewater High School freshman Taylor Speerbrecher and members of her family learn about opportunities available at First Citizens State Bank. Literature on display at a table manned by Jackie Frey, at right, a human resources officer with the company, outlined information about the company’s full-time employee benefits program. Job applications and Frey’s business cards were also available.
One of several presenters at the City of Whitewater Parks and Recreation table, at left, talks with Whitewater High School senior Zach Tomomitsu, at right, and a family member. Among jobs presented to students was that of ice rink attendant at Big Brick Park, 611 W. Center St. Career fair participants visiting the table could also obtain a complimentary day pass to the Whitewater Aquatic and Fitness Center.
Wisconsin Makerspace Executive Director Peter Spangler, at right, talks with fair-goers about 2D and 3D art-based volunteer opportunities available through his Whitewater-based nonprofit organization.
Eric Grady, seated, owner of the Whitewater Culver’s, prepares to answer questions about opportunities at the family restaurant. Literature noted flexible shifts, training opportunities, career advancement, discounts on Culver’s products and a friendly team environment.
Fair participants visit with Culver’s of Whitewater owner Eric Grady.
Whitewater Unified School District Superintendent Caroline Pate-Hefty, at right, visits with sales associate Kate De Lazzer, at left, and plumber Greg Lois, both of Southern Lakes Plumbing and Heating, Inc., Elkhorn. De Lazzer is a member of the family that owns the company and Lois teaches plumbing at Madison Area Technical College. Both said they were on hand to help promote the trade.
Whitewater High School senior Lukas Mendez and a family member visit with Dawn Rocha, personnel manager with Fairhaven Senior Services. Several job opportunities were shared with students, among them: CNA, resident assistants, unit clerk, maintenance technician, groundskeeper, custodial maintenance and full-time and part-time cooks.
Whitewater Fire Department Assistant Chief Kelly Freeman, at left, and Advanced EMT Jason Dean, share their firefighting experiences with a curious student.
Talent Acquisition Manager with Generac Amanda Barden shares information with an event-goer. The company, with Wisconsin locations in Whitewater, Jefferson Waukesha, Eagle and Oshkosh, according to literature provided to students, shared multiple job listings, including those of engineering technician, production supervisor, consumer experience representative, assemblers and more. Openings are also available with the company at its locations in South Carolina, California, Vermont and British Columbia, according to provided literature.
Whitewater High School students and members of the school’s robotics club, called “Ferradermis,” kneel with their robot. They are: Jazmin Cederberg, junior, from left, Andrew Rollette, senior, and Sterling Truesdale, sophomore. The club’s advisor, high school computer science teacher Laura Masbruch, not pictured, said the robot on display Wednesday was entered into a competition last year. This year, the students will rebuild the robot to compete in several tournaments in March. Competing robots are rebuilt each year to perform new functions as specified by competition organizers, she said.
Whitewater High School teachers Paul Major, from left, and Laura Masbruch serve as chaperones during the career fair.
Whitewater Fire Department Advanced EMT Jason Dean, at right, answers questions for several event participants.
Whitewater Police Department School Resource Officer Michelle Martin, at right, explains career paths and options available within the criminal justice field to Whitewater High School junior Connor Raupp, pictured center, and his dad, Waylon.
A poster provided by Whitewater Police Department School Resource Officer Michelle Martin shows pathways to success within the criminal justice field. Martin directed interested students to the Wisconsin Law Enforcement Network: http://wilenet.widoj.gov.
Human Resources Manager Kelly Pollard with Provisur Technologies, described in company literature as “a global leader in food processing equipment and aftermarket parts and services,” waits at the company’s career fair table for her next visitor. The company has openings for a CNC machinist, CNC programmer, electro-mechanical technician and a welder.
Human Resources Manager Kelly Pollard, with Provisur Technologies, shares information about the company with interested students.
Alyssa Grabbert, at left, the front desk supervisor at the Fairfield Inn Whitewater, and Karin Silvius, general manager, prepare to greet students and share information about Golder Hospitality, the company that operates the hotel. The representatives said the hotel was in need of employees to work at the front desk and in housekeeping. The Fairfield Inn opened in Whitewater in June of 2020, they said.
Taking a break from career fair presentations, Whitewater High School students Katelyn Block, from left, and Jeffrey Dean, both sophomores, enjoy a snack.
Whitewater Unified School District Family/Community Engagement and Volunteer Coordinator Molly Fuller, at right, greets students as they enter the career fair. Students were presented with door prize tickets. A drawing was planned to determine the winners.
Whitewater High School teacher Baron West prepares to greet students as they enter the career fair and advise them about a youth apprenticeship program designed to help high school students who want hands-on learning in an occupational area at a worksite along with classroom instruction. According to information provided by the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, “Youth Apprenticeship (YA) integrates school-based and work-based learning to instruct students in employability and occupational skills defined by Wisconsin industries. Students are simultaneously enrolled in academic classes to meet high school graduation requirements, in a youth apprenticeship-related instruction class, and are employed by a participating employer under the supervision of a skilled mentor.”
First Citizens State Bank Human Resources Officer Jackie Frey, at right, shares information with an event-goer.
Whitewater Fire Department Assistant Chief Kelly Freeman, at left, answers questions for students.
Director of Buildings and Grounds at UW-Whitewater Eric Radkowsky, at left, shares job-related literature with Whitewater High School junior Lliam Stauss.
Among items found on the UW-Whitewater table were materials alerting students to full- and part-time job opportunities available with the grounds department as well as brochures about the university.
Above: Whitewater High School junior Lliam Stauss, at left, and another student survey the room while deciding which career fair presentation to visit next. At right: Whitewater High School student and member of robotics club Ferradermis Andrew Rollette, from left, and Whitewater High School Principal Mike Lovenberg pose for a photo with the club’s robot.
Photos by Kim McDarison.
