Lawrence High Students Learn About NJ Job Growth Sectors

More than 150 students from local high schools- including Lawrence High- attended the first Mercer County Youth Symposium, held on Oct. 8 at Mercer County Community College.

The event taught high school juniors and seniors about job opportunities in seven growth sectors as identified by the State Department of Labor and Workforce Development. 

Students learned about the fields of advanced manufacturing; financial services, hospitality and tourism, life sciences, technology and entrepreneurship and transportation, logistics and distribution. Information included educational requirements, salaries, employer expectations, and opportunities for advancement.

Maurice Coleman, senior vice president and New York market manager at Bank of America, delivered a keynote address that focused on resilience, vision and discipline. Students also heard a presentation by Padma Arvind, director of the New Jersey Healthcare Talent Network based at Rutgers University’s School of Management and Labor Relations. 

“This symposium provided an excellent opportunity for our high school students to get valuable information that can help them make educated decisions about career paths,” said Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes. “The industries they learned about account for more than half of New Jersey’s workers, and more than two-thirds of the wages paid in this state.”

Participating students hailed from: Hamilton West, Hightstown, Hopewell Valley, Lawrence, Mercer County Technical, Mercer High School, Robbinsville, Steinert, Trenton Central, Trenton High West and Daylight/Twilight and West Windsor-Plainsboro North.