Seward High School hosted roughly two dozen Kenai Peninsula businesses Wednesday for the second annual Career Day, giving students the opportunity to tour opportunities and chat face-to-face with professionals.

Oliver Trobaugh, one such student, said he already has a pretty good idea of what he wants to do after graduating — engineering — but that touring the arrayed businesses Wednesday gave him insight as to what options are available locally.

For roughly an hour and a half, students milled the halls, having conversations with people at tables arrayed in the school’s commons and hallways. In the school auditorium, a series of presentations were also held. Businesses showed off their work and their equipment, told students what sort of training they might need to get a job in their workplace, and described a day in their lives.

“It’s fun to see all these different jobs,” Trobaugh said. “I learned something a little different about Seward.”

A valuable takeaway, he said, was a conversation with one potential employer about the job qualifications you can’t get through money or effort — like having good character and work ethic.

This year’s event was coordinated by Student Success Liaison Jonathan Le Shana, who said the event brings down barriers between students and professionals in ways that can help them get a better sense of the steps they need to take to get where they’re hoping to go.

“What makes it fun is having so many different folks with different backgrounds, from the community, all in one place at the same time,” he said. “I’m really hoping that the students see that there are so many options for them out there.”

Career day, Le Shana said, brings what may otherwise have been abstract future ambitions into the school’s hallways. For many students, he said the idea of what profession to chase can be “a big question mark” easily cast aside in favor of more present problems like the upcoming stage production or the next sports match.

“We put it in the spring for a reason,” he said. “Seniors are getting ready to move on, it’s a way for the students to take some intentional time to really think about their future.”

Note: The Peninsula Clarion participated in Career Day and general assignment reporter Jake Dye both presented and spoke to students on Wednesday about careers in journalism.

Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.

Oliver Trobaugh speaks to representatives of Bear Creek Volunteer Fire Department during Career Day at Seward High School in Seward, Alaska, on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Oliver Trobaugh speaks to representatives of Bear Creek Volunteer Fire Department during Career Day at Seward High School in Seward, Alaska, on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)