OXNARD — Future Leaders of America will be hosting a Science/Technology/Engineering/Mathematics (STEM) Career Seminar for 60 high school and junior college students from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, April 26 at the Center for Employment Training, 761 So. C St., Oxnard, the organization reported in a media release. The purpose of the FLA Career Seminars is to empower youth with information about career pathways, goal setting, and professional culture as we encourage them to pursue higher education.
Dr. Ramon Flores, director of Knowledge Management & Information Technology at the Center for Seabees & Facilities Engineering, will deliver the keynote address. Elsie Ponce of Baxter International Inc. will speak about her work that primarily focuses on products to treat hemophilia, kidney disease, and immune disorders. Janeth Moran-Cervantes, COD2040 Fellow, will share about her new start-up company. Other inspirational speakers will include civil, electrical, and computer engineers as well as a cohort of STEM students from Cal-State Channel Islands.
“This STEM Career Seminar is part of a larger youth initiative strategy to build young leaders in Ventura County,” said Gabriela Rodriguez, executive director of Future Leaders of America. “We want our youth to take personal responsibility for their education, and become positive contributors to our community. Future Leaders of America’s goal is to build a career pathway as early as possible for our youth. These career seminars connect youth to mentors who want to help prepare students to participate in Ventura County – and California’s – economic, social and political development.”
The career seminar features a wide array of STEM professionals that will focus on education, career challenges and personal development. After the panels, panelists will provide interactive demonstrations. John Martinez, CSUCI’s STEM Education Director, will close the day with tips on how to prepare to enter a university STEM program.
“This generation of students has the potential to have success without limitations, the challenge is getting them to recognize and believe it,” said Richard Castaniero, FLA co-coordinator of the career seminars. “We want to train students to feel comfortable taking risks and being the first in their family to have a career in STEM.”
Admission is free. For questions, call Gabriela Rodriguez at 805-642-6208 or email gabriela@futureleadersnow.org