ADP hosts 3rd Annual ninth grade career fair

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The Area Development Partnership (ADP) hosted its 3rd annual ninth grade "Jump Start" career fair Thursday at the Forrest County Multipurpose building.

ADP said the point of the fair is to prepare freshman high school students with their future careers. There were 65 businesses and organization at the event.

Dan Kibodeaux ADP Volunteer said, "There are some fantastic jobs that are available right here in Forrest, Lamar, and Perry counties, that a lot of times people do not know about."

"The bottom line is, I wish someone would have done this for me when I was in the 9th grade" said Kibodeaux.

Rebbeca Brown one of the 65 career vendors added, "We want them to take away more knowledge, about each of the careers displayed here"

She added, "We have information, most of the vendors have information about, the education that is required for a particular field, the earnings in that particular field, and what the daily tasks of the what the daily tasks may look like.”

ADP said the career fair helps the students understand the limitless possibilities and fields in Mississippi. Some students said the event is pretty educational.

Forrest Blalock a students with Camp Shelby Youth Challenge said, “I was really learning how to better myself in my community, with each program, the engineering part really help me because I want to be a construction engineer or mechanical engineer.”

A Petal High School student, Avery Wade said the career gave her a different outlook. “A new perspective on what there is out there, what I will be able to accomplish, just accomplish here in Mississippi, instead of having to go other places" said Wade.

“Just know what kind of careers I would be interested in, and explore some new things I would like to do in Mississippi" said Chalice Kelly, Petal High School student.

It may be a little too early for 9th grade Pine Belt students to know which exact career field fits them, but getting a head start helps.

ADP hopes next year's Jump Start career fair will be even bigger.