MENOMINEE, MICH. – The West Bagley Homemakers, dba “The Homemakers,” hosted their third annual career fair at Menominee High School on April 23. The event drew in representatives from local colleges and businesses to introduce students to employment and education opportunities that exist in their own backyards.
Susan Massarini, a member of The Homemakers, explained that the group started in 1956 as a way to support and educate homemakers on the best practices for keeping a home.
Now, 69 years later, the group involves themselves with a variety of community service projects to expand their support. Their projects have included donating proceeds from an estate sale to a local rescue squad and starting a scholarship foundation that has given around 20 local students scholarships of $850 each.
As they continued community programming within education, Massarini explained that The Homemakers hosted their first career fair three years ago with Stephenson High School.
The event quickly grew as many local schools were interested, which prompted the group to host their 2025 career fair at Menominee High School.
This career fair saw between 450 and 500 students arrive from seven schools, including Marinette and Peshtigo high schools.
About 50 booths were set up for the students to explore, with options ranging from the branches of the military, tech schools and four year colleges to businesses presenting employment opportunities.
Some area businesses included Integra First Federal Credit Union, Caterpillar Fluid Transfer Solutions, Jack’s Fresh Market, Veriha Trucking, Inc. and many more.
David Herold, president of the Marinette and Menominee Veterans in Need organization, came out to support the military branches at the career fair. He explained, “There’s been a lot of interest. I think the kids in the community didn’t know we had all these resources out there. I mean, we’ve got trucking, carpentry, healthcare; it’s just vast.”
The career fair was set up inside the gym, allowing groups of students from different schools to explore the booths and speak to those that interested them the most.
Some of the most popular booths were those run by local police departments and fire departments.
The Menominee Fire Department drew students in with the firefighter suit that they could try on, but held their attention with information regarding their upcoming 2025 Marinette and Menominee Fire Camp.
The camp invites attendees to experience hands-on classroom learning; tour the fire stations; learn first-aid; participate in Menominee’s physical agility course and ride in a ladder truck during the final day cookout.
Lieutenant Brandon Bebo said the events like the fire camp allow students to experience what firefights do on a regular basis in a safe, hands-on environment.
More information regarding the 2025 Marinette and Menominee Fire Camp can be found on the City of Marinette website.
Similarly attracting students was the Menominee Police Department with their observation and disposal robotic device.
Officer Mark Kropf explained the device to the students, “This robot is used to go places that aren’t safe for us. It’s waterproof, it can go through the snow and sand, any surface. It’s used for barricaded persons or suspicious packages, pretty much anything that we don’t want to go up close to.”
He explained that the department is currently hiring, and after students graduate from high school and hold at least an associates degree, or equivalent credits, the Menominee Police Department will cover the cost of the Academy and train them for their new position.
Officer Kropf also spoke with students regarding the Menominee Police Department Auxiliary Unit. Through the auxiliary unit students, upon reaching a specified age, can volunteer at events and “kind of get a feel for what it is like to be a part of our team.”
There were also booths representing higher education, such as Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC).
Mary Cattani, a medical assistant laboratory instructor at the NWTC Green Bay branch, provided students with handouts regarding healthcare education pathways.
The college offers a variety of programs, such as associate degrees, technical diplomas and certificates.
Cattani explained the differences in nursing career opportunities with a handout, showing that certified nursing assistants, certified medical assistants and licensed practical nurses all hold a technical diploma, but have different job duties. Registered nurses hold an associate’s degree.
She invited students to attend “A Day in the Life - Healthcare Camp” on June 11 at NWTC Marinette.
“I encourage anybody who’s interested in any area of healthcare to come. Not only will the programs at [NWTC] Marinette be represented, but the ones that are offered in Green Bay will be represented too. So, for anyone who is undecided about what their interests might be, it’s a great opportunity to sort of dip their toes in and learn a little bit more,” Cattani said.
Also from NWTC was Jesse LaBrosse, an instructor at the Marinette campus. LaBrosse brought a wiring schematic for students to experiment with so they could understand what the electro-mechanical technology program involves.
He also aided in representing the engineering program, which brought a welding simulator that allowed students to put on a welding helmet and try their hand at some new tasks.
Students looking to enhance their welding skills or learn about a new career path can look forward to NWTC’s second annual Welding Rodeo on Oct. 1 at the Marinette campus.
Natalee, a junior at Menominee High School who has taken many welding courses, experimented with the simulator and encouraged other students to also try welding.
LaBrosse echoed her sentiment, “at such a young age you can learn about any field and whether you like it or not,” and encouraged all high school students to reach out about career and education opportunities that interest them.
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