Collins talks to high school students about preparing for a career

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STONE RIDGE – It’s smart to plan for a rainy day.

And Wednesday, which was damp, rainy and cold, more than about 1,500 high school sophomores and juniors, took an opportunity to look and start planning for their future.

School buses converged on the campus of SUNY Ulster for the annual Ulster County Career Day, in which students could meet with professionals from various fields, including business, education, engineering, health care, sports, law and government, the visual and performing arts and protective services.
“I think it’s really important as far as career maturity and the world of work,” said Alan Aidala, a guidance counselor at Kingston High School.

Aidala came to the conference with about 150 sophomores, and he said the conference is important because it allows students to hear from professionals who work in their fields – instead of getting career advice from the media, particularly television.

“And TV’s number one job is entertainment. And it doesn’t necessarily give you information about jobs,” he said “The best place to find out is from those in their jobs and to ask them questions.”

Aside from listening to information about a particular field, Aidala said students should always ask about the salaries, the pros and cons of any career and the level of education needed to succeed.

“Those kinds of questions,” he said “I think it’s very important to hear from those in their fields.”

Seminars were conducted throughout the campus, but as soon as students arrived, many attended one of three motivational seminars hosted by Jeramie Collins, a guidance counselor at Wallkill Senior High School.

During his seminars, Collins urged students to make smart life choices, such as keeping their grades up, as they look for a career after high school. He also cited many examples of those unsure about their career paths in high school, and who eventually matured later and found fulfilling occupations.