Expo puts the career curious on right path

Casey Young from Napier checks out the options at the New Zealand Army stand with Private Beaudene Lenden at the Hawke's Bay Careers Expo. Photo / Paul Taylor

Hawke's Bay's 21st annual careers expo began yesterday with almost 1400 keen young students packing the Pettigrew Green Arena.

The expo hosted more than 70 exhibitors from all over the country.

Academic, trades, the forces, overseas exchange schemes and plenty more career paths were on offer to both students and the public.

Private Beaudene Lenden, a rifleman from the army reserves, said the expo was a great opportunity for students to learn about what the forces can offer.

Private Lenden was representing 5/7 battalion as a reserve in the New Zealand Defence Force.

"Most of the students want to stay students, but many of them don't realise that the reserves can provide a full tertiary education," Private Lenden said.

"I think the expo is a great chance for us to talk one on one with the students about all the reserves have to offer," he said.

Private Lenden offered students the chance to try on a standard army pack and webbing. He was rapt with the amount of interest the students expressed.

"The females in particular showed great interest in joining the Navy," he said.

Students were also treated to an appearance by explosive-detection dog Big Chuck.

Casey Young is undertaking an early childhood education degree at EIT and attended the expo as a "where to next?"

"It gave me some great insight about the jobs available to me when I graduate," Ms Young said.

Casey is in her second year of a three-year degree.

Susan Macdonald is in her first year co-ordinating the expo following the death of Richard Edmunds, who ran the expo for the past 20 years.

"It has been very well received and we have been getting some great feedback from the exhibitors."

Scholarships are also on offer for promising students who demonstrate ambition and identify a clear career path.

* The expo will be open from 9am to1.30pm for high schools and the public are welcome to attend.