Students find opportunities at job fair held at Havre High

Local employers filled the Havre High School cafeteria for the first job fair for students in the past 12 years.

Havre Job Service Manager Carol Lamey said her office wanted to bring the opportunity for students back.

"High school kids are always so willing and excited to get into work," she said.

Lamey said about 17 employers and 40 students attended the job fair this year and she hopes in the future more will be able to attend. The event is a job fair, not a career fair, she added. The event is set up so employers are able to find part-time or summer employees and work with students.

Kevin Hellegaard, who owns Havre's Dairy Queen with his wife, Jody, said he was grateful for the work Havre Job Service did to create a chance for businesses and students to meet.

"This group at the Job Service is a really active group, and I've been impressed with what they're trying to do," he said.

Hellegaard said it was his first time attending the job fair, and the event was a particularly good opportunity for employers like himself who offer flexible, part-time workloads.

Lamey said that she wanted to do the job fair because, with the low unemployment rates, she has heard employers talk about how they have been struggling to find employees. The Job Service then contacted employers personally and asked if they would be interested in hiring students for the summer. She added that the job fair was not only about the employers but providing opportunities to the students and showing them they have options.

Havre High School junior Katelyn Maloughney, 17, said that the job fair was a good stepping-stone for students. She has never had a job before and wanted to get a summer job to get experience and prepare herself for the future.

"I found it really constructive," she said. "... This is a really cool thing for students to look into," she added.

High school freshman Wyatt Hagstrom, 15, said that he was personally looking for something he can work around his summer vacation. He added that he handed in an application to Havre Hardware because he is interested in mechanics.

"It's good to know, even if you don't go into that career, it's a good life skill," he said.

With the money he earns, Hagstrom added, he plans to start saving for college.

High school junior Zephy Linton, 17, said that she thought the job fair was helpful to everyone who attended the event.

It's difficult running around town looking for a job, she said, the job fair provides one spot where students can meet employers and get to feel around for job openings.

She added that she was surprised by the opportunities that were available to students at the job fair.

Havre Public Schools Superintendent Andy Carlson said that he appreciates that Job Service spent the time to put the event together.

"Where else do jobs come to you?" he asked.

He added that he is also thankful to all of the employers who participated in the event.

Carlson said he wishes something like the job fair was available to him when he was younger. It's exciting for students to be able to come to one place and see what is available to them.

"It's great. I love it," he said.

Lamey said she was happy with how things turned out.

"That's what it's about," she said.

The students had to go through a preparation class before they came to the job fair, she said, adding that she was able to get funding through the school and the Job Service Employer Committee so she would be able to hold the class as well as provide a pizza lunch. At the prep class she showed students how to present themselves to employers and briefly went over how to fill out a resume.

"Employers love that," she said. "We all like that when they act all grown up and they did a great job. They were all polite and nice."

She said it was a big thing for some of the students to just go around introducing themselves and handing out applications to employers. These skills are important so when they do hear about a job in the future they feel confident they can do it.

Any students and employers who need help for the summer can also come to the Job Service office, she said. She added that she will also be doing a follow-up with some of the students who participated in the job fair.

"They did a great job," she said.

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Havre Daily News photographer Ryan Berry contributed to this story.