The Peru Gazette

Amanda Clapper, The Robot Zone Inc.

Peru Associate Principal Cheryl Felt and CCC Admission Advisor Martha Hewitt

By John T Ryan

Peru – On Thursday, May 14th, 350 to 400 students from five area school districts participated in a “Career Connect Showcase” at Peru High School. Over the past school year Beekmantown, Saranac, Chazy, Northern Adirondack and Peru students have researched 16 Career Clusters (groups of careers such as engineering or finance that share common features). Thursday they shared their projects, received words of wisdom from nineteen workforce development, industry and education professionals, participated in a “soft skills” workshop and enjoyed “good and bad” job interview skits presented by the Peru High School Drama Club. Nine college representatives also answered questions about their programs. Champlain Valley Educations Services (CVES) and Mountain Lake PBS worked with the districts to host the program. (Click here to see all our Peru Gazette Photos) 

Peru High School English teacher Lindsay Smith described how Peru Central integrated the career connect program into classwork. “In English class, our ninth graders with the help of our business teacher, took an interest survey. That gave the students their interests and how they would match up with the career clusters. They chose the career clusters and got more information about the education required and the local programs and resources pertaining to their career cluster. They also watched videos about local businesses and the types of people they employ. Then they came up with some questions they wanted to ask.”

Asked what he had learned about a career choice, ninth grader Patrick Crowley responded, “I learned that it’s hard to get a job now. You’ve got to prepare for it at such a young age. I saw that robot over there and it looked pretty cool. I might look into it.” Mara Dufrain said, “I learned about how many opportunities there are in the North Country. I want to be a teacher more now. The teachers were so friendly. They want to help people and I want to help people too.”

A good handshake – A “Soft Skill”

Business representatives appeared very happy with the program. Josh Dubay, a Peru High School graduate, is a professional realtor at Fesette Realty and owner of Peabody’s Restaurant and Bar in Plattsburgh. He remarked, “I think it’s nice to expose kids to careers they might not have been exposed to by their parents or guidance counselors. There are new opportunities in areas we haven’t even thought of.” Dubay thought ninth grade is a good grade to get students thinking about a career. He said, “I think it’s great to expose them early. If you start thinking about it now by the time you’re a junior or senior you’re looking at what schools are offering and what program you’re interested in.”

Pamela Gomez of Swarovski Lighting, Ltd. informed the students about the opportunities her company offers. Swarovski has 330 employees in Plattsburgh and 28,000 worldwide. She said, “Plattsburgh is the global headquarters for our lighting business. We have opportunities in every discipline you need to run a global business from accounting, to engineering, design, customer service, marketing finance, purchasing, human resources and more. If someone goes away to school there are opportunities right here in their own backyard.”

A good interview presented by the Peru Drama Club

Participants included Former Congressman Bill Owens, the U. S. Department of Homeland Security, Clinton County Sheriff’s Department, Clinton County Probation Department, City of Plattsburgh Engineering, Total Computer, Swarovski Lighting, CV-TEC,  Mold-Rite Plastics, Plattco, The Adirondack Coast Visitors Bureau, NinePlatt, Clinton County Dept. of Social Services, Advocacy and Resource Management, Behavioral Health Services North, Workforce Investment Board, Ross Funeral Home, Adirondack P-Tech, Retired Educators Jerry McGovern and Kristine Mulvihill, UVM Health Network, CVES, WPTZ, Twinstate, Mountain Lake PBS, U-First Credit Union, Warren Tire, Saranac Central School, Peru Central School, ETS, U.S. Air Force, Town of Plattsburgh, NYS Police, Fessette Realty, Thunder Crest Farm, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Phoenix Feeds and Nutrition, Miner Institute, Sullivan Orchards, Murnane Building Contractors, Blair Brothers Construction, Denton Publications, Jeffords Steel and Luck Brothers Inc. Colleges included SUNY Plattsburgh, Clinton Community College, North Country Community College, Paul Smiths College, Clarkson University and Clarkson University Robotics, St. Lawrence University and SUNY Canton. Click here to learn more about the Career Choices program. 

Future Business Leaders of America members served as guides