One after another, school buses rolled in and unloaded thousands of ninth-graders — all unaware of what they were about to see. They entered through black iron gates and were greeted by upbeat songs piping through a mega speaker. A volunteer shouts, “Welcome to WOW” into a microphone as they pass by.

WOW stands for Worlds of Work, an interactive career expo that allowed students to hear from professionals from 10 different industry sectors and learn about job opportunities in North Florida.

A giant inflatable arch resembled a colon – part of it was healthy while other parts included cancer and polyps – created a gateway into the healthcare world. Healthcare workers, including nurses and technicians, guided students through tasks and duties they do on the job.

From patient in-take verification to saving a stroke victim, students soaked it in. At the Eye Associates of Tallahassee station, students dressed in scrubs and gloves and handled real pig eyeballs that were donated for the day. Students were given a scalpel to mimic incisions for cataract surgeries.

At the birthing station, Jennifer Nogal, a ninth-grader from Jefferson County, assisted in a simulated delivery of a baby by a special training mannequin used at Keiser University. She pulled the newborn from the mannequin’s body, along with a mock placenta.

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Continue reading where the article was originally published here: https://www.tallahassee.com/story/money/2023/10/20/north-florida-worlds-of-work-career-expo-wows-students/71229749007/

TaMaryn Waters
Tallahassee Democrat