“Allied Health Career Fair” shows HS students career options available through Adult Education

The 3rd Annual Allied Health Career Fair on March 21st was a huge success! Mt. Diablo Unified Career Pathways in collaboration with Earn & Learn and hosted by Mt. Diablo Adult Education (MDAE) opened their doors and classrooms to 120 Health Pathway students from Mt. Diablo, Concord and College Park high schools. 

Students rotated through six different workshops learning about the different Career Technical Education (CTE) programs offered at MDAE. One of the workshop sessions was an Exposition Hall where nearly 20 different career paths in the health industry were showcased. 

"The programs available are very interesting and I’m glad to know that we have options," said CPHS student Mariana Zuniga. MDHS student Saul Herrera, who is interested in dental assisting, said, "I liked how the activities were interactive, such as the molding used." YVHS student Ximena Ruiz also said the program increased her interest in becoming a dental assistant.

"I love this event," said Erin Larkins Pulley, MDUSD's Career Pathways College and Career Transition Specialist. "This not only gives our students an opportunity to see options for themselves post-secondary within MDUSD, but it also gives them an opportunity to ask the professionals doing the work what they realistically need to expect in their career of interest. No fluff, just real expectations. The idea is to give students options in the health field that they maybe didn't know existed."
 
The workshops included: Dental Assisting, Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), Medical Assistants, Surgical Technologists, and the Contra Costa Health Community Health Worker and Medical Reserve Corps. The Expo Hall included: Martinez Adult Ed, ProTransport-1 LLC, La Concordia, Junior Achievement of Northern CA that offers an internship with John Muir Health, Early Alert Canines, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 9, East Bay Regional Park District, Contra Costa County Office of Education, California Society of Opticians, On-Site Health & Safety, Apex Care, REACH Air, Donor Network West, Sage Veterinary, and East Bay CPR. 

Organizers would like to thank Dr. and Mrs. Johnson from Revy Revs Soulfood Connection and Rock Solid Ministries of Martinez for the donation of lunch for our industry partners and teachers! It was delicious! We would also like to give a shout out to MDUSD's Central Kitchen for making sure our students had a great lunch for the day! 

More information about Mt. Diablo Adult Education's Career Technical Education programs is here.