This year’s Life Ready Expo is right around the corner! Students and families’ grades 6th through 12th will be able to meet with employers from all 17 career clusters and discuss those careers while exploring multiple career pathways. This year we will be at Hermitage High School on September 19th from 6pm to 8pm.

Talk with employers about career opportunities and the total value of their pay and benefits. Learn about multiple ways to “learn and earn” when you take advantage of employer programs that pay for employees to attend college and receive other training after high school. Attendees can also tour the ACE Center and talk with current seniors about their coursework and where they’re headed.

The Life-Ready Expo will also serve as part of the process for HCPS’ Career and Technical Letter-of-Intent Signing Day, an annual ceremony that celebrates students going to work for area employers. The Expo is designed to help facilitate connections among high school students and possible employers – connections that could be celebrated as part of the Career and Technical Letter-of-Intent Signing Day in the spring.

The Career and Technical Letter-of-Intent Signing Day emulates ceremonies that honor high school athletes. Students and representatives of their future employers both sign letters-of-intent at the event in front of families and members of the media, outlining what students must do before and during employment, what the employer will provide in pay and training and an estimate of the position’s value.

Being “life-ready” is one aspect of the school division’s Henrico Learner Profile, HCPS’ blueprint for K-12 education. It emphasizes the importance of “six Cs” for students: developing quality character and becoming effective global citizens, communicators, collaborators, and critical and creative thinkers.