SPECIAL TO THE REPORTER

Riverchase Middle School held its third annual Career Fair recently.

Representatives from

a variety of careers packed the school&8217;s gymnasium in hopes of enticing students to their job paths.

Careers requiring a college degree were represented including law, nursing, pharmacy, psychology, dentistry, engineering and wildlife biology.

Also represented were careers requiring technical training such as mechanics, cosmetologists and those in the culinary arts.

Finally, service professions were present as well including law enforcement, Air National Guard, firefighters, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Marines.

Students visited the fair in shifts to explore exhibits and talk with representatives about their &8220;world of work.&8221;

Students were also required to interview at least three vendors with specific questions concerning working conditions, necessary skills and education, pay and job likes and dislikes.

Some of the representatives used a hands-on approach to introduce their professions. For example, students got to compound medications with the State Board of Pharmacy, handle wildlife courtesy of Ruffner Mountain and see the effects of smoking on two pig lungs (offered by Brookwood Hospital).

Students also experienced sitting in a critical care ambulance provided by Children&8217;s Hospital and a helicopter provided by Alabama State Troopers