District connects with students for career opportunities

Posted March 10, 2010
By Brittany Brown, Norfolk District Public Affairs

03/10/2010 - NORFOLK, Va. — In a continuing effort to connect with students interested in employment opportunities, district employees volunteer to attend career and internship fairs throughout the Commonwealth.

For the 2009-2010 academic year members of the district's recruitment team connected with hundreds students from Virginia Commonwealth University, Old Dominion University and Virginia Tech.

But college students are not the only target.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Norfolk District, participated in the 15^th Annual Career Connection: Transition to the Future, a career and transition event sponsored by the Virginia Beach city public schools. The fair, held March 9 at the Advanced Technology Center on the Virginia Beach campus of Tidewater Community College, is designed for students in grades 6-12. Parents are also encouraged to attend.

The philosophy of the career connection committee is, "Even if we've touched just a few kids and they received something positive from the event, we've done our job," said Amy Schuiteboer, career connection co-chairperson and transitions specialist for Virginia Beach city public schools.

In actuality, the event touched more than just a few students. Approximately 220 Virginia Beach students and families took advantage of the opportunity to speak to career representatives at a crucial point in their lives – a point when they are forming decisions about careers and continuing their education.

Representatives from 90 agencies and educational institutions spoke to participants as they gathered information and browsed displays.

Norfolk District geographers Karin Dridge and Walter Kloth were on hand to talk to students and families about the district's missions as well as career opportunities.

Over the course of the evening, Dridge and Kloth spoke to students about the fields of engineering, water resources development and conservation. Many students and families were surprised to learn about the district's regulatory programs, which encompasses issues ranging from regional water supply, preserving wetlands, expressway expansions, mountaintop mining permits, and coal storage facilities.

"Many students didn't know that we hire high school students in our internship program," said Kloth.

As a product of the district's integrated internship program, Kloth's first-hand experiences hit home with several students browsing the district's display.

Kloth, a 2009 Old Dominion University graduate, took the time to explain student employment opportunities available through the Student Temporary Employment Program (STEP) and Student Career Educational Program (SCEP). While studying geography as an undergraduate student, Kloth worked in the district's geographic information system (GIS) section through the STEP program, which led to an internship as a SCEP and eventually a full-time permanent position.

"When it comes to connecting with the attendees, it definitely helps that we have a Facebook page," said Kloth.