2025 Barry County Career Fest

Join us for the Third Annual Barry County Career Fest, hosted at Hastings High School on February 28, 2025.  This all-day event will focus on a wide variety of career choices found in Barry County and allow high school-aged children from the public and private schools to interact with area businesses and post-secondary educational institutions in pursuit of a possible career pathway.

The Career Fest will focus on a multitude of career choices such as Business Management, Marketing, Finance, Accounting, Technology, Engineering, Manufacturing, Industrial Technology, Construction, Health & Human Services, Medical, Natural Resources, Agriculture, Horticulture, Culinary Arts, Hospitality, Law Enforcement, Criminal Justice, Insurance, and Mechanics.
 

Business registration is now open! There is no cost to have a booth at the Barry County Career Fest; however, we do ask that your booth is interactive and includes some type of demonstration, hands-on activity, or some other dynamic aspect that highlights the various career paths that exist within your company.

The deadline to register your booth is Friday, February 21, 2025.

General Timeline: (tentative; schedule subject to change)
8:00am-8:30am: Vendor Setup
8:30am-10:25am:  HHS Junior Class
10:25am-10:35am: Vendor Break
10:35am-12:30pm: OPEN FOR ALL BARRY COUNTY SCHOOLS
12:30pm-1:10: Vendor lunch 
1:10pm-3:00pm: HHS Sophomore Class

Students will be in groups of 40, with about 23 minutes per section (CERC Lobby, Aux Gym, Main Gym, Gym Lobby). Students will be able to pick and choose what businesses they visit in each area. 

Parking: front of school, NW lot
Drop-off & Pick-up Materials: front of school, athletic entrance

This event is proudly brought to you by the Barry County Chamber & Economic Development Alliance and is sponsored by West Michigan Works and the Ascend Youth Program.