Wisdom at VHS College and Career Fair
Community members browse booths at the college and career fair set up in the VHS gym. Photo by Amanda Jones
Amanda Jones - CRR Staff
Kate Goudreau, Valdez High School (VHS) College and Career Counselor organized a college and career fair for students at VHS, Friday, April 21st.The event brought representatives from local businesses as well as four Alaska colleges and Universities together to talk with students about next steps after high school.
A panel of local entrepreneurs spoke to the Senior and Junior class specifically about what it takes to succeed in any endeavor in life and to not be discouraged when life doesn’t go as you planned.
Panelists consisted of former Alaska Governor Bill Walker, who grew up in Valdez and started his first business as a teenager selling crab shell art to tourists. Laurie Prax, owner of the local radio station, Dalon Gage, an accounting consultant, Colleen Stephens, owner of Stan Stephens Tours, and Kathy Nielsen, founder and owner of Rogue’s Garden in Valdez.
“It’s tempting to think that, ‘Oh, I’m just a small kid from a small school in a rural state. I don’t have many opportunities and will never be able to do anything big with my life,’” Walker shared. “I still can’t believe that I’ve been on Air Force One twice, with two different presidents! Just little old me from Valdez. You never know where life will take you. Sometimes you have even more opportunities because you’re in a small area.”
Nielsen shared one of the most valuable skills is to be able to work with anyone. “I really resisted being on a committee for a long time because I did not like one of the other committee members at all and didn’t want to work with them. I finally realized I was holding myself back from some really great opportunities and that I didn’t have to like the person. I just had to agree to disagree with them and move on with what I wanted to accomplish.”
Stephens and Prax both reiterated not to get discouraged if your Plan A after high school does not work out. Stephens laughed that she changed her college major four times in five years. “You’ll always question whether you’re really doing what you should be doing. It’s always going to be a risk. There is always more than one great option in front of you, and there’s really no ‘wrong’ good decision.” Stephens also emphasized, “Just because you had a bad experience doesn’t mean it was time wasted or you missed the opportunity you should have taken.”
“You can learn something no matter where you are. Be where you are and learn what you can while you’re there,” Nielsen added.
Taking many twists and turns in life was something all panelists had in common. Nielsen shared that she’d envisioned starting Rogue’s Garden when she was in high school, “but it took many stops along the way to get there.” Besides selling crab shell art, Walker started a dog walking business in Valdez, worked in construction, owned a travel agency, a charter boat business, a saloon, a law firm, a hotel, and a fitness center, before serving on city council and then becoming mayor and governor.
Prax shared that she earned a Communications degree in college “Because on my first day, signing up for classes, I asked which major had the least amount of required math classes. They said, ‘Communications,’ and I said, ‘Sign me up!’” She shared that she bought the radio station with a vision of what she wanted it to be but no experience. “Never be daunted by what you don’t have. Rely on your vision. It’s the most important thing you’ll ever have. It’s up to you to make it work,” Nielsen added.
For students not planning on starting their own business, panelists discussed characteristics that will set them up for success in any job or undertaking. Doing your best, showing up reliably and on time, and being willing and eager to learn were all discussed.
Walker shared, “I once hired a paralegal for my law firm. He looked really good on his resume and had a lot of education, but he didn’t show up for the first day of work. When I called him to see what had happened, he said he would think about coming in the next day. It didn’t matter who he was or how smart he was, that attitude for a job won’t work.”
Other panelists emphasized that being smart doesn’t mean having all the answers. Asking for help and knowing where to go to get help are important qualities as well. Stephens shared, “If I ask a coworker to do something they don’t know how to do yet, I expect them to tell me. Otherwise, it can affect everyone’s safety and our whole operation. Asking for help is okay.”
Stephens also emphasized the importance of never leaving a relationship broken. “Alaska is a small state. If you don’t like someone and need to part ways, do so on as good terms as possible. Even if you don’t see it now, in a few years, you’ll have to work with that person again. Maybe collaboratively, maybe as a competitor. Maybe you’ll need to use their experience or get advice from them. Maybe you’ll need a job from them, and they’ll be your boss. Trust me. From experience, you will save yourself a lot of trouble if you can leave relationships amicably.”
“Even working remotely and what others would view as working alone, I have to work with people all day and train them. Being able to work with people, care about people, and get along with people is so important,” added Gage.
Nielsen summed up the session thus: “If you show up and do your best, anyone would be happy to have you on your team.”
The event was also open to the public after school hours to inform non-students of opportunities to work or further education in the state. Goudreau hopes to repeat the College and Career Fair next year and expand it to include other schools in the area.
Amanda Jones is a teacher at Valdez High School
Entrepreneur panel at career fair, VHS. Photo by Amanda Jones