MECC Hosts Business Careers Forum

Area high school students recently converged on the campus of Mountain Empire Community College for the 5th annual Business Careers Forum.  The forum was sponsored by MECC's Business Technologies Division and was held in the Goodloe Center on campus.  Approximately 200 high school business and marketing students from Appalachia, Coeburn, and Thomas Walker High Schools and the Lee County Career and Technical Center visited the campus. 

At the forum, students participated in several workshops including a seminar on professionalism, focusing on professional dress and job interviewing skills.  Some students volunteered to undergo makeovers for a job interview, while others participated in a fashion show featuring wardrobes suitable for various types of jobs and the interviews associated with each.  The seminars were provided by Heather Edwards from Farmers and Miners Bank and Rosita Hart from Belk's department store.  Belk also provided the clothing for students in the fashion show.

"We do this every year, although this is the first year that we have brought in people from outside the college (to conduct the seminars)" says Beth Snodgrass, MECC Associate Professor of Legal Assisting.  "The kids always enjoy it."

Attendees to the Business Careers Forum were fortunate because their visit coincided with the college's annual Spring Fling activities, sponsored by Student Services.  After the workshops, the students were invited to take part in the event which included a rock climbing expo, a student picnic, and a game show event.  They were also given "goodie bags" and some left with door prizes.  The Business Technology programs involved with the Careers Forum were Legal Assisting, Administrative Support Technology, Management, Accounting, and Information Systems Technology.

Rosita Hart, representing Belk's department store, conducted a seminar on professional dress and job interviewing skills at the 2006 Business Careers Forum.  Approximately 200 local high school students attended the forum, held on the campus of MECC.