Expo hopes to attract high school and college-age students
Wednesday, May 8 at 3 p.m.—RUTLAND— A Health Careers Expo will be on Wednesday, May 8, from 3-7 p.m. at the Rutland Recreation and Community Center, 134 Community Drive, in Rutland. The event is being put on by Southern Vermont Area Health Education Center (AHEC) in partnership with Come Alive Outside. It coincides Southern Vermont AHEC’s 25th anniversary celebration.
“Our goal is to create an exciting and worthwhile experience for students 14-21 years of age who are plotting their path towards a career in health or simply curious about the ever-expanding world of healthcare,” wrote Southern Vermont AHEC in a news release.
Admission to the Health Careers Expo is free and open to the public. All are welcome.
According to the American Hospital Association (AHA) there will be a shortage of up of 3.2 million healthcare workers by 2026. America will face a shortage of up to 124,000 physicians by 2033 and will need to hire at least 200,000 nurses per year to meet increased demand, and to replace retiring nurses. There are also critical shortages of allied health and behavioral professionals, especially in marginalized rural and urban communities.
The mission of Southern Vermont (AHEC) is to enhance community efforts to grow and sustain the health workforce in southern Vermont.
“One of the ways we do this is by delivering pathway programs which connect students to health careers,” the release continued. “We aim to initiate the exploration of health careers for youth at an early stage by offering them opportunities to closely observe the diverse array of options within their reach.”
There will be over 20 Vermont health careers represented, ranging from clinical and non-clinical roles in medicine, oral health, mental and behavioral health, public health, emergency response, and much more. Participants will have the change to engage through interactive displays, innovative technology and connect with seasoned professionals eager to share their knowledge. Among the over 40 exhibitors will be virtual reality simulations and mobile medical units. Students can enter a drawing to win VR [virtual reality] headsets with health careers exploration modules and training simulations for their school.
DJ Brett Myhre will provide music, and there will be giveaways, a 50/50 raffle, and other fun prizes.
Come Alive Outside will host a nerf skills course, and the Rollin’ Rooster and Mr. Ding-a-Ling ice cream truck will be on site if you get hungry.
For more information, visit: svtahec.org.
