FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
GRAND FORKS, N.D. The Northern Valley Career Expo planning committee is pleased to announce that business exhibitor registration is now open for the 11th annual one-day career exploration event. The expo is scheduled for Wednesday, October 25, 2023 to take place at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks, North Dakota on the main arena floor. Businesses that attend the expo will showcase unique career opportunities within their company to more than 1,800 tenth-grade high school students from the fourteen-county region of northwest Minnesota and northeast North Dakota.
“One of the best things about the expo, is that we survey students every year, and 82% of respondents say they are more likely to consider a career in the region after attending the expo,” said Becca Cruger, Director of Workforce Development for the Grand Forks Region Economic Development Corporation. “Interacting with students from our region while they’re in the process of making important decisions about their future provides an early opportunity to spread awareness and get connected to interested people and provide them a guide on how to achieve a career in a particular field.”
Business employers who participate in the expo set up hands-on career exploration activities that are designed to educate about in-demand career opportunities and related training, inspire students to become future employees, and introduce students to career paths that may not otherwise have known about. Activities have included flying a drone, using tools to build heavy equipment, placing sutures on test material, painting, laying bricks with mortar, assembling pipes, and much more. The main emphasis of the expo is to highlight what makes the northern valley region a great place to live, work, and play.
“For businesses, the expo provides them a chance to plant the seed, and let them students know what they’re passionate about,” said Stephanie Larson, Counselor for East Grand Forks Public Schools. “If they can share their enthusiasm for their occupation, the students get excited about it, and they ask questions about how they can get into that career field.”
To register to participate in the expo, businesses have varying levels of partnership and cost options available. Levels vary from $250 Exhibitor, including one showcase booth and company recognition on the event website, to $2,000 Platinum with up to ten showcase booths and company recognition on the event website, promotions, and signage. Registration is open and available now until September 15, 2023 at NorthernValleyCareers.com.
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About the Northern Valley Career Expo
The Northern Valley Career Expo started in 2012 as an initiative to focus regional efforts on one of the region’s greatest challenges by exposing youth to the career opportunities available in Northeast North Dakota and Northwest Minnesota. Education, economic development and workforce organizations work collaboratively to retain our future workforce as they prepare for post-secondary training and education.
About Grand Forks Region Economic Development Corporation
The Grand Forks Region EDC works collaboratively to foster an environment that attracts innovative people and business investment to Grand Forks County and the surrounding region, enhancing economic vitality for long-term prosperity and growth.