Lompoc Teen Center Hosts First Annual Pathways: A Career Conference for Teens

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The Lompoc Teen Center celebrated its first annual Pathways: A Career Conference for Teens at Cabrillo High School on Saturday, November 16, 2024, drawing approximately 150 attendees, including over 100 students from across the community.

This groundbreaking event provided students with the opportunity to explore diverse career paths, engage with industry professionals, and learn about higher education and workforce opportunities. Round-trip shuttle services, generously provided by Santa Barbara Air Bus, ensured accessibility, with pickups at Lompoc Valley Middle School and Lompoc High School. Students received free breakfast, lunch, and event swag as part of their conference experience.

Santa Barbara County Third District Supervisor, Joan Hartmann, opened the conference with inspiring remarks on her ongoing initiative to establish a Youth Workforce Pipeline in Lompoc, underscoring the importance of empowering local youth with career readiness skills.

The event featured a dynamic Career & College Fair with representatives from key organizations such as the Lompoc Police Department, Planned Parenthood, STARBASE VSFB, Laurus College, Allan Hancock College, Olive Grove Charter School, and the City of Lompoc Public Library.

Attendees participated in a variety of industry-specific workshops led by top professionals, including:
– Accounting by Mary Sharp, Founder of Mary Sharp, CPA.
– Cybersecurity by Francisco Perez, Founder and Partner, and his team at Digital Ethic.
– Dentistry by Dr. Melinda Oquist and her team at Oquist Dental.
– Emergency Medical Services by Christopher Martinez, Fire Captain at the City of Lompoc Fire Department.
– Engineering (Electrical, Mechanical, and Petroleum) by Jordin Ford, Senior Flight Test Engineer at Canvas Inc., Jason Gibbs, Deputy Director/Principal Engineer at GP Strategies, and Jordan Daggraffinreid, Field Engineer at Liberty Energy.
– Game Development by Jeramiah Johnson, Cinematic Director, and Jamir Blanco, Senior Character Modeling Artist, at Blizzard Entertainment.
– Law by Agassi Bagramyan, Associate Criminal Attorney at Sanger Law Firm.
– Real Estate Investment/Management by Sam Eisenman, President at FPA Multifamily.
– Regenerative Agriculture by Jesse Smith, Director of Land Stewardship at White Buffalo Land Trust.
– Sports Medicine by Dr. Mark Brisby, Owner and Founder of The Training Room and Dr. Brisby Medical Fitness Center.
– Union Trades by Sasha Stevens, Business Manager, and Ashleigh Marino, Office Manager, at UA Local 114.

The conference also featured a well-received Panel Discussion on career pathways in education, moderated by Dr. Patricia Madrigal of the PEAC Foundation. Panelists included education leaders from Lompoc Unified School District, Olive Grove Charter School, Goodwill Mission Services, and Partners in Education.

The event was made possible through the generous support of sponsors, including the G.A. Fowler Family Foundation, Allan Hancock College, State Farm agents Kait Hamilton and Paul Cashman, Craig’s Roofing, Paul Didier, and Santa Barbara Air Bus.

Victor Alejandro Cortes, Executive Director of the Lompoc Teen Center, expressed his gratitude for the community’s support, stating, “This conference marked a significant step toward equipping Lompoc’s youth with the tools and inspiration they need to pursue their future goals. We’re thrilled to see such a strong turnout and engagement from students and professionals alike.”

Plans are already underway for next year’s conference, building on the success of this inaugural event.

The Lompoc Teen Center is a nonprofit organization that provides a safe-space for at-risk teens (7th-12th grade) to achieve academic success and college readiness.

For more information, please contact Victor Cortes at victor@lompocteencenter.org or 805-741-7904.