CareerCon 2020: Bringing Students and Businesses Together

If high school students were looking for information about different career paths, the 6th annual CareerCon supplied plenty of answers.

Over 900 students from 13 different public high schools arrived at St. John’s University in Grymes Hill to spend their morning weaving through tables exploring career pathways and job/internship opportunities from various businesses and organizations.

“I liked it. There was a lot of information and a lot of variety with employers,” said New Dorp High School sophomore Ryann Brown.

Brown’s sentiment sums up how CareerCon served as a great two-way street for the students, along with businesses and organizations. While students were introduced to various career and college pathways, business owners and hiring managers had the opportunity to meet and engage with Staten Island’s youth.

“We’re proud to sponsor with these great organizations for the second year in a row on an event that will impact the future of Staten Island,” said Massimo DiDonna, chairman and president of The Carl V Bini Memorial Fund, which sponsored CareerCon. “Giving these students access to decision-makers and career choices this early on is something our organization is honored to be a part of.”

The Staten Island Chamber of Commerce, the College of Staten Island, St. John's University (Staten Island Campus), 30,000 Degrees, the NYC Department of Education’s Staten Island Field Office, and the NYC DOE Transition College Access Center partnered again to present this year’s event. 

“CareerCon 2020 brought St. John’s essential partners in education to our beautiful Staten Island campus for the most important business of all: inspiring the next generation of Staten Islanders to be their best. We are honored to host the event that shows many young people the pathway to college and career success,” said Dr. Robert Fanuzzi, Associate Provost & Director of Civic Engagement at St. John’s University Staten Island campus.

“The Chamber is proud to be part of this event, which enables students and employers to connect,” said Chamber President and CEO Linda Baran. “Many times, students don’t have a clear direction or any idea about which career path they would like to pursue. CareeCon offers students access to a diverse group of employers who can guide them about all the different career paths they could consider. This event serves as another way the Chamber prepares today’s youth for tomorrow.”

 “It's wonderful when the Staten Island community comes together in the service of our District 31 students.  Our students were given opportunities to meet with local organizations, city agencies, and DOE staff.  It was also a chance for our My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) and My Sister’s Keeper (MSK) leaders a forum to share their experiences with their high school peers,” said Vincenza Gallassio, school superintendent of District 31.

“CareerCon introduces our students to a wide variety of opportunities available to them right on Staten Island. This event allows our young people to network and build relationships with leading change-makers in the borough and see how much the community is willing to invest in their success,” said Amoy Barnes, Borough Director of the NYC DOE Transition College Access Center, Division of Specialized Instruction and Student Support.

Petrides High School junior and aspiring marine biologist Niko Martinez said he was happy he came to the event.

“Personally, I’m loving CareerCon. I’m finding information about what I want to do and the extensions off of it,” said the 16-year-old.

“It was eye-opening to see how little these students know about the maritime industry, and a lot of them were surprised and shocked about what they could learn from the maritime industry,” said James Bast, of the Seafarers International Union of North America. “A lot of students were happy with the career path we were offering, and they saw that the sky is really the limit, and it’s really up to them to take it as far as they would like.”

In addition to the connections and information shared inside the SJU gymnasium, CareerCon also featured 45-minute resume writing workshops and the panels,  Careers in Healthcare; Careers in Business; Careers in NY; My Brother’s Keeper & My Sister’s Keeper Fellows and Ambassadors; The Real Deal: What College Life is Really Like; and 21st Century Jobs of Tomorrow.

“I thought it was pretty cool to learn about the different jobs. I was focusing more on software engineering jobs, and there are some here now that I was able to talk to,” said Mark Ian Calica, a junior at McKee High School.

“This was a great event. I thought it was very thought-provoking for many students,” said Frank Martarella III, president of the Staten Island Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). “Some knew exactly what they wanted to focus on, and some weren’t really sure yet. So, having that ability to stop at different tables and see different professions, I think, provokes a lot of thought in their heads and gives them an idea about what they may want to do in the future.”

To learn more about CareerCon, visit http://careerconsi.wixsite.com/careerconsi.

Photos by Steve White, StatenArts Photography.