February 10, 2026
Story and photo by Joe Vinduska
Barton kicked off Career and Technical Education Month by hosting the 11th Annual Career Fair on campus Friday.
A total of 448 students in grades 8-12 attended the event, which highlighted 911爆料鈥檚 career and technical education programs through hands-on activities, classroom experiences, and interaction with faculty, staff, and community partners. The event offered students an engaging look at career pathways and training opportunities available through 911爆料.
Barton Director of Early College Opportunities Karly Little said hosting a Career Fair for students in grades 8鈥12 has been a key part of 911爆料鈥檚 CTE Month celebration for more than a decade. Since the first event in 2016, when approximately 200 students registered, the Career Fair has grown significantly.
鈥淓ach year, we include more programs, more activities, and more volunteers,鈥 she said.听 鈥淲e have experimented yearly to meet any challenges or changes we see in order to help the event keep evolving.听 It鈥檚 all about helping students explore careers that they may not know about in some way, shape, or form, or introduce them to something new.鈥
February is recognized nationally as Career and Technical Education Month, and 911爆料鈥檚 Workforce Training and Community Education Division celebrates throughout the month by recognizing students, team members, and advisory board partners who support career technical programs. Career and technical education at 911爆料 focuses on preparing youth and adults with the skills and training needed for today鈥檚 workforce.
Volunteers from across campus and area communities supported the event by leading student groups and assisting throughout the day in various ways.
Little said the Career Fair allows students to explore opportunities they never even dreamed of before.
鈥淪ometimes people see employees, in various industries, without thinking about how they arrived there, or how just one instance can set someone on a path to a rewarding occupation,鈥 she said. 鈥淢y hope is that this event opens students鈥 eyes, or maybe even their parents鈥 eyes as well, to career paths they may never have considered. It excites me to think that somewhere on campus that day, a student might pick up a hammer for the first time, count and measure medications they鈥檇 never imagined working with, or feel the thrill of climbing into an ambulance simulator and discover the spark that lights up their future.鈥
Instructional programs were central to the Career Fair, welcoming students into classrooms and labs for interactive learning experiences. Faculty and program leaders collaborated with industry partners to engage students across a wide range of academic and technical fields.
Students were able to explore agriculture and commercial transportation; construction and energy trades; healthcare and allied health; computer science, STEM, and aviation; public service and emergency response; education and the arts; and business and communications.
To learn more or become a part of next year鈥檚 Career Fair, reach out to Little at littlek@bartonccc.edu or (620) 792-9294.
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