The 2024 Business Lineup For Beacon's Career Fair Plus Counselor Michele Polhamus’ Favorite Things

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The 2024 Beacon High School Career Fair will be on Friday, May 17th from 10:30am - 1:30pm. Registration was May 1st, but if you sign up now via this link, Beacon City School Guidance Counselor and organizer Michele Polhamus may still be able to save you a table. The Career Fair is one of her favorite events, and getting a wide variety of businesses to participate is important to her. Register here to save your spot.

“I love having the career fair as it allows students to start building connections to what they are learning here at school to the world of work,” Michele told A Little Beacon Blog. “It also gives students an opportunity to explore the myriad of opportunities that exist in the world of work.”

During Career Fair, students come into the gymnasium in organized waves throughout the day to meet businesses. “I believe students enjoy the event, as it allows them to get first-hand information on careers of interest and what it really means/looks like to be in that career.”

Businesses have also benefited from Career Fair when they are looking to attract new employees from the community. “There are also participants that are looking to hire students, so it gives students an opportunity to gain employment as well. Businesses/Participants enjoy connecting with our students and offering information about their business/career/profession. If a business is hiring, it also allows them to provide our student body with information on how to effectively apply for a position at their organization.”

Even if a business is not hiring, the giving of one self at Career Fair is a reason to participate. From entrepreneurs to artists, the kids can see and ask what it is like to have such a career. Said Michele: “I also believe events like this help to build a strong sense of community...a perfect example of it ‘taking a village.’”

Registration is online here >

The 2024 Business LineUp So Far

Finishing Trades Institute of NY
Insulators Local 91
Folkes Home Services
Libby Funeral Home
Melanin Unchained/Next Step Hudson Valley/Dear Summer Inc.
SMART SHEET METAL WORKERS' LU 38
City of Beacon Fire Department
New York State Police
City of Beacon Police
New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision
Chemprene
Smart Staffing Group, INC
United States Air Force
NYPD Recruitment Section
NYS DOT
US Navy
Dutchess County Sheriff's Office
New York Army National Guard
Slater Chemical Fire Department
City of Beacon
Beacon Recreation
Careers with Dutchess County Government
Dutchess County Department of Human Resources
Ulster County Sheriff's Office
Dutchess Tourism, Inc.
Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa
Empowering Clerks Network
Loeb Art Center, Vassar College
Hudson Valley's Best
Care 4 Me, Inc. Child Care Center
Ability Beyond
Nuvance Health / Vassar Brothers
Kumon Math & Reading Center of Beacon Dutchess County Sheriff's Office
LifePlan CCO
Kyndryl
Mid-Hudson Valley Federal Credit Union
Gap Inc.
Embrace Therapy
Twins Barber Shop
Kelta (Wellness Center)
Nuvance Health
AON Physical Therapy and Wellness
Veterinary Relief Services
NBC Universal
A Little Beacon Blog
Video Ventures Ltd Beacon, NY
The Highlands Current
Ability Beyond
Team HART at Epique Realty
Studio 1482/The Lincoln Avenue Workshop

Career Fair Open Call For All Businesses To Represent To Beacon High School Students

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Once again, the Beacon High School Career Fair has issued its open call to all types of businesses to participate in this year’s 2023 Career Fair on Friday, May 19th from 10:30am - 1:30pm. Registration is open now and can be done online here.

Last year was the fair’s first time back after the forced closure from the pandemic, and the fair’s organizer and Restorative School Councilor, Michele Pohlmas, who was in her 17th school year, was thrilled to bring businesses and students back together again. “This event gives the students the opportunity to explore what they may be interested in, once they begin the next chapter of their life after their time here at Beacon High School.” See a video interview with Michele below.

Participating in the Career Fair is a great way to connect with students and to feel the vibe of what the current generation is really like. A Little Beacon Blog and Tin Shingle have participated for a number of years, and we are always touched by the quiet students who approach our table to share how they love to write or draw, and are looking for avenues for which to do that.

How To Register To Participate In Beacon High School’s Career Fair

Businesses who have participated in the past include include illustrators, journalists, entrepreneurs, emergency responders, barbers and hair stylists, drone flyers, and so many others.

The annual career fair will take place on Friday, May 19th from 10:30am - 1:30pm. Each participant will have a table on which they can display items which represent their career/profession and can serve as talking pieces with our students. A light breakfast and set-up will begin at 9:30am and lunch will be served around 11:30am.

Businesses RSVP/register by clicking on this link. Don’t be shy!

Contact Ms. Michele Polhamus, School Counselor, with any questions or concerns. 845-838-6900 Ext. 3025/polhamus.m@beaconk12.org.

Beacon's High School Career Looking For 25 More Videos From Business Owners + Employees For Virtual Career Fair

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In year’s past, the Beacon High School Career Fair is an opportunity for students to roam the high school gym to connect with professionals in a variety of fields, including illustration, publishing, media, legal, cosmetology, engineering, technology, insurance, service (police, state or county attorney, etc.). For professionals, it is a chance to meet students.

A Little Beacon Blog and Tin Shingle have gone each hear. Sometimes students are shy and ask questions almost in secret: “I draw. But I don’t know where to draw. I don’t like to draw at home. Do you know of any groups?” Sometimes a student will drag their friend to the table: “She blogs. She has a fashion blog but doesn’t talk about it. Friend, tell her about your blog!” It’s almost a day of giving permission to tap into your dreams.

The pandemic hit last March, and the Career Fair was canceled in person that May. Now that the second May is rolling around, Beacon’s Guidance Counselor Michele R. Polhamus is stepping up to the video editing plate as so many of her colleagues have done to stitch together a video experience for the youth, but needs the help of business owners, artists and employees in the field who want to make a video to send to her, to share career insights with the students.

In an email appealing to past year’s participants, Michele said: “The goal of our Virtual Career Fair is simple: to expose our high school students to a wide variety of careers. I am hoping to create a solid event for our students, but need videos in order to do this.”

Michele made the directions to make a video simple and direct.

1. Fill out this Google Form (Click here to access the form) confirming your interest in the virtual “event” including a link to a recorded video which can be posted at Google Drive. Guidance on what to answer in the video is below.

2. Record (horizontally if using your phone or record on your computer) a 5-10 minute video answering

the following questions:

Introduction:

  • State your name, position and company.

  • Briefly describe what led you to your current job (include details like if you always knew you would do this, unsuccessful work experiences or promotions that led you to your current job, etc.)

  • What schooling and/or experience did you have to go through for your current job?

Job Info:

  • Explain your role and what skills are required for your position.

  • What does an ‘average’ day look like for you?

  • What is the best part of your job?

  • What is the hardest part of your job?

Extra info to share:

  • What are your long term career goals?

  • What advice would you give to students in finding a career they love?

  • What advice would you give to students for an interview?

  • Job outlook for your profession?

Ready to record?

2019 Career Fair at Beacon High School - Seeking Businesses To Participate

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The Beacon High School Career Fair is Thursday, May 23, from 10 am to 1:30 pm, and once again, the school is seeking businesses to participate so that students can see the huge range of careers that exist in the Hudson Valley, or that exist at all.

Types of Participating Businesses

Past participants have included illustrators, writers, bloggers, podcasters, engineers, drone operators, insurance agents, document storage companies, first responders, public servants, T-shirt making companies, peace organizations, law firms, and many more.

Don’t be shy or think your business is too big or too small or too unusual to participate. This is your time to show kids what they can do, what they can become. This is your time to let them look up to you and your business, and figure out what they can dream about becoming.

I have participated three years in a row, representing A Little Beacon Blog (online newspaper) and Tin Shingle (teaches businesses how to get the word out). This year I’ll also probably have my couture branding agency, Katie James, Inc. represent. Businesses are grouped with like businesses, so I’m usually in the Media or Communications section.

Pictured above are the writer Sarah Crow, who at the time was a regular contributor to publications like GQ, Bridal Guide, and MTV. Currently she is a Senior Editor at Galvanized, where she does all sorts of things like manage freelance writers and run the social media account for the brand, as well as research for the Eat This, Not That! podcast. Also pictured here is Tom Cerchiara, founder of TEC Land Surveying.

Interacting With The Kids During The High School Career Fair

Each time, kids approach my table shyly (you have to gently encourage them to come up to your table - unless you’re Twins Barber Shop, who give haircuts at their table, or Antalek & Moore, who brought the giant Jenga game last year), and quietly tell me about their secret blogs. Correction. Their friends usually tell me about a kid’s secret fashion blogs while elbowing their blogger friend to go on and tell me about it.

One young man had a secret passion for sketching, and didn’t want to be that open about it at home. I told him about the Sketch Book Open Studio meeting at the Beacon Public Library every Wednesday (on my radar from its spot in A Little Beacon Blog’s Kids Classes Guide), and encouraged him to go check it out.

How To Participate

To participate, email the School Counselor, Michele R. Polhamus, at polhamus.m@beaconk12.org. She would love to hear from you. Participating is really easy. Tables and chairs are set up for you, with access to power if you need it, though you need to coordinate with Michele in advance.

Deadline: Friday, May 3, 2019! But if you’re seeing this slightly after that deadline, go ahead and give it a try just in case.