In late June, hundreds of students, parents and teachers gathered at the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg for the annual Virginia FFA State Convention. New this year was the Career and Opportunity Expo, during which students visited with potential future employers to learn more about the types of careers offered by each.
The Virginia, Maryland & Delaware Association of Electric Cooperatives reached out to inquisitive young men and women, who learned how they could serve their locally owned electric co-op with a powerful career. Some were surprised by the variety of available opportunities. Others were instantly drawn to the idea of working on the line.
“We wanted to do something special for our members,” said Virginia FFA Foundation Executive Director Jennifer Armstrong. “Not only did it give them an opportunity to explore career and educational opportunities, it gave some key businesses and organizations in the state unique access to the quality young leaders that Virginia FFA produces.”
“Seeing the interest from these young adults was a breath of fresh air,” said Isaac Hall of AutoBody Pro Shop in Harrisonburg, Va. “I’ve spoken with many different groups in a lot of places, but this group of FFA members carried themselves with a different level of dignity and respect.”
The electric cooperatives of Virginia, Maryland and Delaware are proud to support youth programs like FFA and look forward to returning to this event in 2023
—Report by Jim Robertson, Director, Special Projects, VMD Association