On Saturday, Mar. 4, the City of Pleasanton hosted a career fair for teens at the Pleasanton Senior Center. The fair lasted from 12pm to 3pm, and lunch was served for those who signed up. Students and parents from all over the Tri-Valley attended.

‘We have probably over a thousand attendees at this event specifically for teens. However we do understand that parents care about their children and want to support entry level positions. And so we understand why there’re many parents here at the fair,” said Julian Mireles, Pleasanton library recreational coordinator. 

This annual event brings together vendors and teens from around the Tri-Valley so that local teenagers can  understand what a workplace is like. It gives the teens who attended an opportunity to find a possible job. 

“We put on this event because working is important. It’s not as important as family, friends, and mental health, but getting a job helps a lot of things. It gives people an opportunity to use their skills in different environments,” said Mireles. 

During the fair, there were also workshop sessions for students who signed up for them beforehand. These workshop topics varied, but there were some focused on what to do during an interview and some on building a resume. 

“The careers fairs help students build connections and see what the process is like in terms of their resume. They also get practice one-on-one interview sessions,” said Nicole Demarinis, marketing director at American Swim Academy.

Some teenagers came here looking for opportunities more than receiving a position. Sofi Manassyan, an actress from Los Angeles, attended the fair along with two friends. 

“I go to an online school so I just wanted to find a place where I can really socialize. It’s better to [socialize] with people who are in the business industry. I just wanted to spread myself and connect with people and find out what people are up to in the business industry,” said Manassyan.