The fact that they were able to meet with some of the area's top movers and shakers in the workforce was the icing on the cake.

But for the 700 Lehighton Area High School students who attended Career Day in the school gymnasium, the guidance they received was the cherry on top.The Carbon Chamber and Economic Development Corporation and the Business Education Partnership committee of the Chamber held the event Wednesday morning in partnership with the high school.Principal Craig Reichl said the school's Career Day was an opportunity to educate the students to the wide range of industries that were available to them."You could sense the success of the event when speaking to students," Reichl said. "Many of them made contacts that could really help them in careers or decisions about schooling."Reichl added, "Students need to see the opportunities that are available locally, along with the bigger picture of careers that are emerging or available outside Carbon County."We offered information on careers requiring doctorate degrees, four-, two-year degrees, training, hand-on and internships," he said. "Providing a day like today allows students to learn firsthand information about career options, forces them to interact, and hold conversations with people in industry."Junior Brandon Schnell said he believes the event was extremely worthwhile."I think I've gained seeing a couple different job outlets, couple different perspectives, seen a couple different companies in the local community that a lot of people in Lehighton may enter into," Schnell said. "Just different routes to go about education-wise, ROTC, military, go right out, enter the job work force, possibly go to college, whatever your preference is."Schnell said he plans to pursue the medical route once he graduates."I'm leaning toward ROTC, physician assistant, I want to go the accelerated five-year program, instead of six," he said. "Possibly go to medical school, not sure yet, and I want to specialize in physician assistant, might specialize in surgery."Senior Cheyenne Clifford said she, too, believes the event was of a huge help from a job-prospects perspective."It gives them a chance to look further so that they don't have trouble looking for a job," Clifford said. "I want to go to Bloomsburg and major in psychology."The event featured representatives from the fields of manufacturing, hospitality/tourism, media, law, banking, education, lawn care businesses, service businesses, food service, and real estate.Reichl thanked Steve Ohl, president of R.F. Ohl, Lehighton, for working with the chamber to plan the event."We've already started discussing the Career Day for next year and some possible field trips to these organizations so our students could gather more information," he said. "Our job is to prepare our students, and for lifelong success, and a job that you enjoy is a great step in that direction."