We’re looking at a record turnout of students for this year’s NW Youth Careers Expo on
Wednesday, Feb 24, 2016, at the Oregon Convention Center. This week, we’re highlighting the exhibitors in the Health Care Zone, which will have a great mix of serious career learning and hands-on fun.

Our health care exhibitors include Oregon Health & Science University, Banfield Pet Hospital, Kaiser Permanente Northwest, Legacy, Providence and WebMD Health Services. We’re also delighted to welcome Portland Community College, Mt. Hood Community College and AEHAP (the Association of Environmental Health Academic Programs).

In the Health Zone, students can:

•      Connect with people who work in health care
•      Discover the incredible diversity of careers within health care
•      Learn about the skills and education needed for different career paths
•     Try out the simulation labs and see hands-on demonstrations
•      See which employers offer high school internships and volunteer opportunities

SEE OUR FULL LIST OF EXHIBITORS

TEACHERS: FIND PRINTABLE EXPO FLYERS ON HEALTH CARE & OTHER SECTORS

Below is a sampler of information about some of our health care exhibitors, along with a photo gallery from last year’s Health Care Zone.

OHSU: Oregon Health & Science University is a major presence in the Northwest, both as a health care provider and an educational institution. Likewise, OHSU will have a big footprint at this year’s Health Care Zone, featuring career paths such as physician, radiation therapist, paramedic, nurse, anesthesiologist, neuroscience research, infection prevention and many more.

Banfield Pet Hospital: Portland-based Banfield is the nation’s largest privately owned veterinarian practice.  It will feature careers in veterinary medicine and animal heath, and it will provide information about its Vet Tech Development partnership with Penn Foster College. (We also hear they’ll allow student photo ops with their Cone of Fame, which they say is a hit at pet expos.)

Kaiser Permanente Northwest: Kaiser’s booth will include the patient simulators (manikins) used by many health care professionals to practice their procedures. Students can also talk with Kaiser representatives about the organization’s internships, job shadows and scholarship opportunities for high school students. (Click here to learn more about Kaiser’s paid summer internship program and here to learn how to apply.)

Legacy: Legacy plans to bring child-and infant-sized manikins, and will talk about nursing education leading to nursing careers working with both adult and pediatric patients. Students can also learn about AV and software careers through Legacy.

Portland Community College: PCC hopes to feature the Allied Health programs at its Cascade campus. They may also highlight the nursing, dental and imaging programs at its Sylvania campus. (

Mount Hood Community College: Mount Hood will bring representatives from its health services program, allowing students to learn how to get started on a career path.

WebMD Health Services: WebMD is a health employer that emphasizes wellness and consumer information. Their exhibit always has fun elements for students. (Last year’s exhibit had a planking contest with a fruit giveaway, which was a hit.)

AEHAP: The Association of Environmental Health Academic Programs supports environmental health programs as a strategy to help build and diversify the pipeline of people going into careers such as air-quality monitoring, pesticide control, epidemiology, toxicology, food safety, occupational safety, drinking water safety, and the like.  AEHAP says: “These careers are very important because Environmental Health Professionals are the individuals helping to protect human health by ensuring that our environment is not negatively impacting our health.”

So far, more than 6,500 students and 140+ exhibitors have registered for the Expo. Check out our “Meet our Exhibitors” page for additional printable flyers in technology, manufacturing, construction and creative careers. You can also visit our Expo HQ.

We’ll be adding more details about exhibitors as we receive them. (Health care exhibitors: You may contact us at susan@portlandworkforcealliance.org if you have additional information to share with students and educators prior to the Expo.)

TEACHERS: BROWSE ALL EXPO RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS HERE

The nonprofit Portland Workforce Alliance works year-round with businesses in every sector to provide career-learning opportunities for high school students. Research shows that students who have the opportunity to learn about careers while they are in high school are more likely to graduate, continue their education and find satisfying careers. To learn more, browse our website.