Birmingham Promise Fair Provides Students with Path to Higher Ed and Workforce Careers

Birmingham Promise hosts a college and career fair for local students Thursday, Oct. 11, 2024 in Birmingham, Alabama. (Ruth Serven Smith/AL.com)
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By Breonna Atkins | batkins@al.com

Birmingham City Schools students crowded Boutwell Auditorium Thursday, eager to talk to the variety of colleges and employers who had also packed the room.

Birmingham Promise’s Scholarship Fair provided Birmingham City Schools students the opportunity to talk to colleges, universities and work-force career paths. Students from area high schools had the chance to grab merchandise and informational pamphlets that are offered from the institution they spoke to, as well as an in person conversation with the spokesperson for that institution. With a variety of different colleges and universities from all over as well as workforce jobs, this fair pushed students in the direction of making choices for their futures.

Promise, founded in 2019, connects city students with paid workforce experiences and college scholarships.

“This type of fair is definitely needed,” Mayor Randall Woodfin said in an interview. “When it comes to exposure and opportunity, unfortunately our children don’t have it in spades like a lot of other children do. For Birmingham Promise to partner with Birmingham City Schools to have this fair so students can take time away from school to actually see representatives, colleges and universities in real-time is a big deal. We also need to do something similar for our military branches, career technical education and those who don’t want to go to a career institution.”

Jackson-Olin High School senior Kyler Hameen (left) plans to become a pediatrician. She told AL.com reporting intern Breonna Atkins (right) that the Birmingham Promise career fair on Oct. 11 helped her consider more college and scholarship options. (Ruth Serven Smith, AL.com)

Students with careers and majors already in mind talked to colleges and universities that could potentially help them in their career or are big on their major. Students also had the chance to put out feelers, and see if they had any interest in a different college, university, major or joining the workforce. Students had the freedom to envision themselves in a specific college, university or working a job, and making the next decision in their future.

“The fair is great and the crowd surprised me,” said Jackson-Olin senior, Na’kia Dansby. “This fair is helping everyone, students are interested and having fun talking to colleges as well as seeing their workforce opportunities.”

Dansby said she is interested in becoming a doctor. She plans to go to college and said she met someone at the fair who plans on helping her become a pediatrician.

“The fair helps students that are undecided figure out what they want to do with their future,” said Jackson-Olin senior Kyler Hameen.

Hameen plans to attend college for nursing, and said in the next five to 10 years she will be a registered nurse.

Birmingham Promise also offers internships and apprenticeships that you can apply for on their website. Students can also learn more about Birmingham Promise scholarships here.

Editor’s note: Breonna Atkins is a Birmingham Promise program participant. She reported on the event for AL.com.

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