ELLICOTTVILLE — The CA BOCES Career and Technical Education (CTE) Center at Ellicottville was expected to host its annual Career Fair & Open House Wednesday.

This event would provide high school juniors and seniors from partnering districts, as well as other students, families and community members, an exceptional opportunity to explore a wide range of career paths by meeting with prospective employers and learn about high-demand occupations and post-secondary options.

Public Relations Specialist Paul Elliott said attendees had the chance to meet and engage with dozens of industry and education partners from businesses, unions, trade schools, organizations, military branches, colleges and universities throughout the region.

The career fair was also an opportunity to learn about companies and network with potential employers for jobs following graduation from high school or college — a place to make valuable contacts and learn more about internships as well as various job opportunities in a variety of career fields. Industry professionals and representatives from local businesses will be offering full-time, part-time and seasonal positions.

Tracy Guntrum, work-based learning coordinator, said the career fair has grown from 51 tables last year to 60 this year. She said the event is for anyone who is job hunting, exploring colleges or trade schools.

“The trade unions will have a lot of information there,” she said. “People will be able to talk to actual operating engineers from local unions to learn about apprenticeships. We’ll also have representatives from a bunch of different companies that people can talk with about possible positions.”

Guntrum said the career fair is for adult learners as well. The CA BOCES Adult Education Program would have a table set up, she noted, as would the Human Resources Department, which is hiring.

Whether people are seeking internships, careers or new pathways, they were encouraged to bring an updated resume for job and internship opportunities.

As far as the new school year at the Ellicottville CTE goes, Guntrum said no new programs were introduced this fall and there are no projects taking place in any classes, yet, because it’s still early. She said the big projects come in the second half of the school year.

“The first part of the school year is basically teaching safety. A lot of the students are currently in the process of OSHA 10 certification, which is a 10-hour training course that teaches basic safety and health information and is a requirement for many entry-level positions,” she said.

Guntrum said Chef Susan Brushingham and her culinary students will have food available as part of their SkillsUSA Fundraiser.

“Our culinary class is creating walkable lunches like hot dogs, sausages, walking tacos to sell to raise money for their travel and competition expenses,” she said.

IN ATTENDANCE was a number of construction companies and contractors, including Gleason Construction Inc., Kinley Contractors, Wolcott Construction Services LLC and Brawdy Construction.

Anyone thinking about a career in the manufacturing sector could discuss possible employment with Cimolai-HY (steel fabrication solutions), Lakeside Tools (discount automotive tools) or Steel & O’Brien Manufacturing.

People could also talk with representatives from Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers Local 3, IBEW Local 106 JATC, IBEW Local 41 and Independent Contractors Guild of WNY (ICG), NYS Association of Professional Land Surveyors and The Construction Exchange, which is one of the largest trade associations in New York State.

Anyone interested in the medical field could talk to reps from the Buffalo Veterinary Group, Bertrand Chaffee Hospital Campus and WNY Rural Area Health Education Center (R-AHEC) that addresses the health needs of its rural and underserved communities.

For those seeking advanced education, a number of colleges and universities were represented, including Alfred State College, Villa Maria College, Jamestown Community College, Canisius University, Monroe Community College, SUNY Morrisville and Universal Technical Institute.

Personnel from the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police and the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision were at the fair, as were recruiters from several military branches.

Other businesses represented include those in travel and leisure, daycare, youth services, vocational and job training, film and photography, auto and farm equipment dealerships, tree care and the racing industry.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the fastest-growing occupations currently include wind turbine service technicians; solar photovoltaic (PV) installers; nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives and nurse practitioners; data scientists; information security analysts; medical and health services managers; physical therapist assistants; actuaries; operations research analysts; and physician assistants.

The Ellicottville center, located at 5550 Route 242 East, is one of three CTE centers under the Cattaraugus-Allegany Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES). Two other centers are located in Olean and Belmont. For more information about the programs offered, call (716) 376-8300 or visit online at caboces.org.