PHOTO: The 'Made in DeKalb' Expo gives students the opportunity to network with local businesses and industries to see what potential jobs await them upon graduation. (File Photo)
By C. Campbell, Staff Writer
RAINSVILLE, Ala. — On Thursday, February 16th, the 5th Annual Made in DeKalb Business Expo will be held at the Northeast Alabama Agri-Business Center in Rainsville. Designed as a networking opportunity for local businesses and industries, high school students from across DeKalb County will have the chance to see what potential jobs might await them following graduation.
According to Ronnie Crabtree, who has been key in the history of the Expo, approximately 2,000 9th and 12th graders from both Fort Payne and DeKalb County schools will be able to see booths set up by between 75 and 80 different businesses and industries. In addition to them, there will also be a handful of student groups with booths set up at the Expo. “It’s a good way to provide networking opportunities for our local businesses. It might also pique the interest of some of our students as to a job opportunity or career path they might want to take,” Crabtree said.
When asked, Crabtree explained that the event was inspired by Made in Alabama, an initiative designed to help bring global companies and industries into Alabama, and encourage them to set up facilities in the state. While on a smaller scale, the Made in DeKalb Expo still allows groups like Plasman, Heil, and GameTime to demonstrate what they do to the students in attendance, which may in turn help grow these industries, as well as encourage the high schoolers to potentially seek out a career in one of these fields.
Looking into the future, Crabtree expressed the opinion that, “We want to keep growing the event and add more vendors. We also want to keep expanding the potential for job growth in the county.” Not only that, but by making the event larger with each passing year, that adds to the list of possible jobs for the students in attendance to become more interested in, and perhaps even seek out a career with.
Open from 8:30 AM to 5 PM on the 16th, the event is designed for 9th and 12th grade students at all nine high schools in DeKalb County. There will be no cost to attend, though Crabtree did discuss how teachers would make sure the attendees took an active part in browsing the vendors’ booths. “Each student will be provided with a passport, which they have to fill out.”
In order to fill them out, students will have to visit a booth and learn about the company being represented there. Following this, the vendor will sign the passport, which will be checked by a teacher following the Expo. Overall, the Made in DeKalb Business Expo will be a valuable learning experience for all in attendance, letting them experience the many opportunities the industrial sector of DeKalb County has to offer them.
