When Sanford Regional Technical Center student Autumn Liston entered Partners Bank Gymnasium for Thursday's Career and College Fair, she was planning to delay her education and work first to save money for cosmetology school. But after speaking with representatives from Spa Tech in Portland, those plans changed entirely.
"At first I was thinking of doing a gap year, like, right out of high school, just so I can make more money and then apply for financial aid," Liston said. "But I visited, and it was a 200-hour program, and it was only for three to three and a half months. So it wasn't like it was going to be a four year college."
After learning about the accelerated nail technology program, Liston made her decision. "It definitely changed my mind a lot," she said. "I'm going to apply for financial aid, and then I'm going to figure out what I need to do and probably go to Spa Tech this next fall."
Liston's experience exemplified the impact of the annual event, which brought together 80 organizations offering Sanford High School and SRTC students a comprehensive look at their post-graduation possibilities. The fair offered direct access to recruiters, admissions officers, and industry professionals representing higher education, technical training, immediate career entry, and military service opportunities.
While Liston explored immediate career opportunities, many students focused on traditional college paths. Sanford High School junior Lily Peters expressed interest in finding colleges with a Dental Hygiene program, while others explored various programs from pre-med to education.
The fair featured diverse higher education options, from University of Maine system campuses to specialized institutions like Maine Maritime Academy, Maine College of Art, and The Landing School of Boatbuilding and Design, giving students access to a wide range of academic programs and degree pathways.
Students came prepared with questions and talking points developed by SRTC Career Planning Coordinator Jenn Bartlett and Extended Learning Opportunities Coordinator Sally Quarles, who provided materials to all instructors and advisories ahead of the fair.
Rick Smith, Assistant Chief of Sanford Fire and Rescue, emphasized the importance of events like these for connecting with potential future employees. "This is an opportunity for us to kind of press the flesh with students that may not already be captured by the SRTC programs," Smith said. "A lot of people, I think they recognize that our industry is a job, but not a job that they could do. And so we try to make it approachable."
The department has seen remarkable success with SRTC graduates. "We have a little over half a dozen of SRTC grads that actually work for us full time," Smith explained. "Those people have gone on to save lives. Some of them have delivered babies.."
Smith described the impact as a "ripple effect" through the community. "We can get one person through the program to come work for us, and they create ripples through the community that are positive, and then they train more people to do the same thing."
Lindsey Eldredge from Eldredge Lumber in Sanford highlighted the advantage SRTC students bring to employers, noting they arrive with skills that set them apart from typical entry-level applicants. "The SRTC students are not entry level employees," Eldredge said. "They already have the knowledge. Like Troy Hathaway’s kids from the building trades, they know what these things are. They know about different kinds of insulation where they're applicable and they don't have to be taught that."