The Columbia County Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the Columbia County School District, will host the inaugural Columbia County Career and College Expo on Tuesday, March 12 at the Columbia County Exhibition Center in Grovetown.

The event, which targets middle school and high school students and parents, gets underway at 5:00 p.m. Breakout sessions in fields such as manufacturing, healthcare, nuclear/energy, cyber and financial aid will be held throughout the evening.

The goal of the expo is to identify clear pathways from high school to a future career, whether that includes a four-year university, a two-year degree at a technical school or trade school, or going directly into the workforce. Designed to educate both middle and high students and parents on the vast career opportunities available, this initiative aligns the educational, technical and trade sectors with businesses. Over 100 colleges and universities, along with many businesses, have registered to participate.

Some of the colleges and universities scheduled to participate include: Augusta University, College of Coastal Georgia, Georgia Southern University, Georgia State University, Kennesaw State University, University of Alabama, University of Georgia, University of Tennessee and Valdosta State University.

Among the businesses scheduled to participate include: ADP, Belk, Duckworth Development, EMC Engineering Services, First Community Bank, Georgia Power, Ivey Homes, John Deere Commercial Products, Nuclear Workforce Initiative, Plumbers and Steamfitters, SITEL, Spherion Staffing Services, Textron Specialized Vehicles, The Augusta Chronicle, University Health Care System and WRDW/WAGT – Channel 12 and 26.

For a complete list of the Expo’s participating colleges and universities, visit this link. To register for the Expo, as well as for more information, visit this link, or contact the Chamber at 706-651-0018.