EAST PEORIA Ill. –Around 400 local high school students spent part of their Friday, exploring the East Peoria ICC Campus.
It was for their annual “Agriculture, Diesel, and Horticulture Career Showcase” which allows students to explore high-demand careers in the agriculture industry.
Henry Behringer, a junior at Brimfield High School, had a chance to experience hands-on activities — like learning how to maintain a Diesel engine — which he says, was an eye-opening experience.
“It’s a pretty big deal, it gives you a lot of options and sort of opens your eyes a lot and makes you feel like it’s an easier job to go to. It gives you more options ,”Henry Behringer said.
ICC Dean of Agriculture and Industrial Technology, Dana King, says she hopes this experience informs local high school students of the job opportunities, right in their backyard.
“The goal really is for students to get a feel for what kind of careers are available in these fields, because a lot of times they don’t even understand the opportunities that they weren’t even thinking of,” Dana King said.
The college’s Diesel Mechanic Instructor, Colin Campbell says, most of these career paths wouldn’t require them to take the traditional four-year path.
“These guys get to visit with, I think 37 different vendors and multiple learning opportunities on the other side of campus, so they are getting some hands-on training on the other end. So, it’s a really cool event — it seems they are really open to that and welcoming to ideas, seems like they are having fun,” Colin Campbell said.
More than 21 local schools sent students to the showcase — which event organizers say is an increase from last year.
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