Companies, labor organizations and education partners interested in reaching as many as 10,000 high school students and potentially meeting their future workforce in a single location should attend the kickoff meeting for 2019 MiCareerQuest Southeast.
The kickoff is set for Wednesday, March 20, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. at the L. Brooks Patterson Executive Office Building Conference Center, 2100 Pontiac Lake Road in Waterford. Organizers for MiCareerQuest Southeast are seeking partners to help cover the costs of staging the largest career event of its kind in southeast Michigan. More than 8,000 students from 100 high schools attended the inaugural event in November at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi. The 2019 version is expected to attract more than 10,000 students from Oakland, Macomb, Wayne, Livingston, Washtenaw and Monroe counties.
"The kickoff meeting is critical to building excitement and commitment from sponsors and exhibitors," Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson said. "MiCareerQuest Southeast cannot happen without their support and involvement. We've added 60,000 square feet of floor space now at 360,000 square feet to accommodate the additional displays and all the students we expect this year. This innovative regional event was a resounding success with plenty of positive feedback from the students, chaperones, exhibitors, volunteers and special guests in attendance. We expect the 2019 event to be even better."
Organizations can register to attend the March 20 kickoff at www.AdvantageOakland.Eventbrite.com.
The inaugural MiCareerQuest Southeast featured 114 exhibitors and 1,000 working professionals, who engaged the students in a variety of hands-on, interactive activities that showcased in-demand occupations in four career quadrants: advanced manufacturing, construction, health sciences and information technology. The 2019 event is Nov. 8 at the Suburban Collection Showplace. It will provide the region's future workforce with a glimpse of the broad range of rewarding career possibilities after high school.
Sponsorships cover expenses, including facility rental, staging and booth equipment rental, security, signage, volunteer t-shirts, exhibitor items and food. Multiple sponsorship levels are available, each with varying exposure opportunities. In addition to a presenting sponsor, there is one platinum sponsorship available per career quadrant, which includes a seat on the event's executive committee and quadrant steering committee. Gold, silver and bronze sponsorships also are available.
Last year's platinum quadrant sponsors included Beaumont Health (Health Sciences), Society of Manufacturing Engineers (Advanced Manufacturing) and Consumers Energy, DTE Energy, Michigan Building Trades and Construction Council and MUST Management and Unions Serving Together (Construction).
Each career quadrant features 20-25 exhibitors, who attend at no cost. Organizations interested in exhibiting this year are encouraged to attend the March 20 kickoff and participate in quadrant exhibitor meetings, which begin in April. Quadrant meeting information will be posted on the event website, www.OakGov.com/MiCareerQuestSE.
"Most of our exhibitors from last year want to participate again and we have room for new organizations to join them," said Jennifer Llewellyn, manager, Oakland County Michigan Works! "We look forward to seeing returning organizations as well as new faces at this year's kickoff, where we will be sharing important information on how we are making MiCareerQuest Southeast even more impactful for students."
Later this summer, public and private high schools in the six-county region will have the opportunity to register to attend MiCareerQuest Southeast. Students can only attend the event if their high school is participating. Homeschool students should contact their local high school. More event details for schools can be found on the MiCareerQuest Southeast website.
Published: Mon, Mar 18, 2019
