On Tuesday, November 22, Carbon High School hosted a Career Fair organized by Zach Konakis of USU Eastern. The event brought representatives from 37 local businesses to the school for students to learn about: from the Sheriff's Office to San Rafael Energy Research Center to Intermountain Electronics to Lila Canyon Mine to name just a few.
Konakis explained that this event has been in the works since at least the first week of school back in August. He also emphasized that he could not have gotten everything done without the help and efforts of Carbon High Assistant Principal Steve Pay and the Department of Workforce Services Workforce Development Specialist Nicole Steele,
The Fair kicked off with a live-streamed welcome introduction from Dr. Gary Straquadine who is a former Associate Vice President and Vice Provost of Career and Technical Education for Utah State University and has recently been appointed as Vice Chancellor for the USU Eastern campuses. Straquadine also introduced the keynote speaker Vice Chairman of Intermountain Electronics Bobby Houston, who is also the company’s Director of Mission Critical.
Houston challenged the students to be open-minded, and to take the opportunity to ask questions, emphasizing the fact that he walked the same halls as the students listening. “We were in this high school 20, 21 years ago, No clue what we were going to do long-term. No clue in life. Just terrorizing the teachers in the halls that are still here today and were patient enough to stick with us along the way.” He spoke of how he would not have ended up where he is now without going into situations with an open mind and taking advantage of opportunities that arose.
The students were reminded that the businesses present were local - businesses that really care about their success because not only are many of the representatives parents of Carbon students, or some other relation to them, but these students are their future workforce.