More than 400 Columbia County high school students got a hands-on look at the world of healthcare Thursday during the Health Careers Expo, hosted at the Columbia County School District Support Department Complex on River Watch Parkway.
The event brought together over 25 healthcare organizations and educational institutions to showcase a range of medical professions from nursing and respiratory therapy to dentistry, occupational therapy, and medical illustration. The expo aimed to help students already enrolled in the district’s healthcare pathway programs learn about specialized areas of medicine and discover opportunities that go beyond traditional doctor and nurse roles.
Introducing students to a variety of medical careers
“We have roughly 1,800 students across our five high schools in a health careers pathway right now,” said Brooks Smith, CTAE (Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education) director for Columbia County schools. “A lot of times students are familiar with becoming a physician or a nurse, but less familiar with some of the unique specialty areas in the medical field.”
Smith said the expo helps students identify new interests and connect with professionals who can offer insight into less common but in-demand careers.
“We have over two dozen unique specialty areas represented,” he said. “For many of these students, it’s their first exposure to something they may want to pursue as a career.”
Education funding opportunities for future workers
In addition to career exploration, the expo highlighted ways local healthcare employers are helping future workers fund their education.
“Some of these healthcare providers offer scholarships to help students fund their post-secondary degrees,” Smith said. “They’re able to find out the assistance they might receive from local medical providers.”
The event also allowed students to meet with healthcare professionals and learn about salaries, educational requirements, and day-to-day responsibilities across various career paths.
Encouraging the next generation
Smith encouraged younger students, particularly those in middle school, to consider joining healthcare pathways once they enter high school.
“The career opportunities are wide open in the CSRA,” he said. “We’re opening new medical facilities as our population grows, so the opportunities are just going to continue to be there. It would be a great choice for them.”
