High School Students Test Skills At Career Event

Antigo High School students took a try at virtual welding, practiced high-speed tire-changing and explored career options ranging from military to medical at this morning’s career fair.

According to Josh Zalewski, coordinator for the seventh annual event, this year’s contingent of local employers and industry partners ranging from health care, automotive, manufacturing, financial and public service was the largest ever.

We also had a representative from the carpenters apprenticeship program and numerous hands on activities such as virtual welders and the Nascar Pit Crew Challenge, Zalewski said.

Among the more popular booths were the virtual welder brought by Northcentral Technical College. With some assistance from instructor Darren Wild, students were able to don a welding mask and use equipment and a computerized screen to simulate an actual project.

The pit crew challenge booth also drew a crowd, as students competed against one another in a timed event to change tires as quickly as possible.

Zelazoski Wood Products brought a display of products that included a Major League Baseball Rock Bat, barbecue grill scrapper, and a new series of nifty brushes for grooming dogs, cats and horses.

Other participants included Brickners of Antigo, Johnson Electric Coil, CoVantage Credit Union, Amron Corporation, Antigo Police Department, although K9 Natscho stayed home, Antigo Fire Department, Northcentral Technical College, city of Antigo,

Unified School District of Antigo, Aspirus Langlade Hospital, Servco FS, Volm Companies, Waukesha Bearings, Army, Wisconsin National Guard, and Marines.

Bradley Westen tries out the virtual welding equipment brought to this morning’s career fair from Northcentral Technical College. At right is NTC welding instructor Darren Wild.

Source: Antigo Daily Journal