On October 28, the District 101 Rec Center will be transformed into a sea of 8th graders exploring potential career paths. The Annual Grundy 8th Grade Career Fair organized by Grundy Area Vocational Center (GAVC) and Community Foundation of Grundy County (CFGC) aims to expose students to the wealth of careers in and around Grundy County. In the decade since GAVC and CFGC launched the career fair, it has continually adapted to meet student needs and interests.

The first year we held the fair in the spring, but we soon learned spring is too late. Unfortunately, 8th graders choose their freshman fall semester classes in January or February of their 8th grade year. Although some classes must be taken by all students, there is flexibility with others based on student interest. For example, students wanting to go into a trade may take higher-level math classes, while students wishing to enter the medical field may take science-heavy courses. Students may also need to take certain classes in their freshman and sophomore years so they can attend GAVC during their junior and senior years.

Even though we do a post-event survey for the businesses and schools, each year I make it a point to walk around and speak with students and school staff attending the event to get their immediate feedback. In doing so over the years, we have added career paths to our list of business partners for the following year. One year a student indicated they were interested in the arts, so the next year we added some business partners in this area. Another year a student was disappointed there weren’t more mental health-focused careers, such as social workers and licensed therapists, so we added those partners to the list the following year.

The biggest goal of the career fair is for students to see the career potential in their own community. We want students to get the training and education they need for their desired careers and return to Grundy County to live and work. When possible, we highlight the career pipeline available locally. For example, the 8th graders get to see GAVC students enroll in Health Occupations, then speak with Joliet Junior College about their programs in the medical field, and finally have conversations with Morris Hospital and Healthcare Centers staff on careers in the medical field. We also know not every student will go to college; therefore, ask local trades, warehouses, chemical plants, and various branches of the military to attend the event. While not every career path can attend every year, we do try our best to have a wide array of options for students to explore.

The 8th Grade Career Fair is unique in the fact that all business participants must have a hands-on interactive activity for students meant to engage them in conversation. Having an activity spark a conversation, allows businesses to inform students about career opportunities they have, the education it takes to obtain those types of careers, average salary, and a typical workday. In addition, this fair is not meant to draw in business for each company; it is meant to showcase the careers available. That being said, we welcome similar organizations to share a booth. For example, three or four local municipalities share booth space, taking turns manning the booth. This allows students to learn about all the career opportunities in a municipality, including administration, police, public works, and finance, without one person being away from the office all day. As of today, we have 42 businesses registered to participate in the event. We still have space available for businesses. If you are interested in participating in the event, feel free to reach out to Devan by calling 815-941-0852 or emailing devan@cfgrundycounty.com.

As I said above, GAVC also showcases their programs at the event. High school students enrolled in each of the GAVC programs provide fun and informative activities for the younger students to participate in. GAVC students give the 8th graders a wonderful overview of the career-centered learning opportunities GAVC gives them.

Before the event, schools are provided information on career exploration they can use in the classroom in preparation for the fair and worksheets that can be used at the fair itself. While the preparation for the event often has students expecting a boring presentation on careers, they are always surprised when they walk in and get to have fun! The 2025 8th Grade Career Fair will see over 1,200 students from 15 local schools, including Braceville Elementary, Channahon Junior High, Coal City Middle School, Families of Faith Christian Academy, Gardner Grade School, Immaculate Conception, Mazon-Verona-Kinsman Middle School, Minooka Junior High, Morris Grade School, Nettle Creek, Reed Custer Middle School, Saratoga Junior High, Seneca Grade School, and South Wilmington Grade School.

The annual Grundy 8th Grade Career Fair is one of my favorite events of the year. GAVC and CFGC work for months prior to the event to ensure it all runs smoothly, and seeing it all come together is wonderful. Our hope is that we have educated the youth of Grundy County on various career paths over the last decade and can continue doing so in the years to come. Stay tuned for a recap of this year’s event!