Career Workshop delivers local connections to area students ...

The Allamakee Community School District hosted the annual Career Workshop Friday, February 1 at Waukon High School. The Career Workshop is the brainstorm of Waukon High School Guidance Counselor Amy Wasson, Northeast Iowa Community College-Waukon Center Director Erica Nosbisch and Allamakee County Economic Development & Tourism Director Val Reinke. Invitations are extended to junior and senior students at Waukon, Kee, Postville and MFL/MarMac High Schools. The goal of this event is to introduce high school juniors and seniors to area businesses, career opportunities and the stories of local people. Approximately 150 students participated, choosing two tracks to attend based on career interests (some of those students and speakers are pictured in surrounding photos). This year’s event included the following tracks and guest speakers:

Business/Finance/Marketing/Management: Josh Dreps – Business Owner, New Albin Meat Market and Daryl Hansmeier – Real Estate Agent, Allamakee Realty;
Education/Human Services: Bethany Ellingson – Program Director Integrated Health, Families First and Amy Wasson - Guidance Counselor, Waukon High School;
Health Sciences: Dannette Hermeier – Nurse, Veterans Memorial Hospital and Rachel Wagner and Kelly Baxter – Radiologic Technologists, Veterans Memorial Hospital;
STEM/Manufacturing/Construction: Jack Regan – Lineman, Allamakee Clayton Electric Cooperative and Steve Pladsen and Drew Adam – Owner and Auto Mechanic, R.W. Pladsen, Inc.;
Information Technology: Steve Hanson – Director of Business Development, Northeast Iowa Telephone Company and Sidney Bekeleski – IT Administrator, Reel Core;
Ag/Food/Natural Resources: Troy Peterson – Agronomist, Waukon Feed Ranch and Santiago Cordero-Mendoza – Human Resources, AgriStar Meat & Poultry, LLC.

The Career Workshop Committee will start planning for the 2020 Career Workshop in November 2019. Those who have questions or who would like to be part of the Workshop are asked to reach out to Amy Wasson at awasson@allamakee.k12.ia.us; Erica Nosbisch at nosbische@nicc.edu; or Val Reinke at aced@mchsi.com. Submitted photos.