Don’t ever let anybody tell you what you can’t achieve.

Those words of wisdom, and insights about careers in multiple fields and industries, were shared with hundreds of students at the Breakthrough Birmingham career day at Alabama Power Corporate Headquarters on June 30.

Experts say it’s important for teens to take steps – the right classes and/or training – to help them better understand, and prepare for, the working world.

Students learn to think before they share on social media. (Erica Lamar-Coney)

That’s why 20 members of the Magic City and Eastern Division chapters of the Alabama Power Service Organization (APSO) helped sponsor the career fair. About 250 seventh through ninth graders got a bird’s eye view of careers in engineering, law enforcement, photography, transportation and more during the five-hour event.

Erica Lamar-Coney, supervisor in Alabama Power’s Customer Service Center, and Caitlin Brothers, business development officer at APCO Employees Credit Union, were among those who shared their journeys toward rewarding careers.

Lamar-Coney told the group how, for her, it began in June 1987, as a co-op student and a junior at Parker High School in Birmingham.

“I shared with the audience about how I started with this company at age 16. I had to learn some things … to grow and develop.”

After graduating from college in 1993, she moved into a full-time position with the power company.

“Find yourself a mentor and develop a plan,” said Lamar-Coney, who is an active Magic City APSO member. She noted that she has had similar discussions with her children.

Entering the world of work

Representatives of several companies and from Samford University told students about various career paths, and the classes they should begin taking to prepare for the future. The students were advised about how to begin establishing goals, the importance of making good choices and why they should work to make good grades.

About 250 students attended the event. (Erica Lamar-Coney)

Students were introduced to the FAFSA federal forms that are required to apply for government financial aid for college.

Alabama Power engineer Marcus Ramsey, who works in Power Delivery at the company’s Trussville Crew Headquarters, told students about math classes needed for mechanical engineering and how the kind of work he does has an impact on the company’s business operations.

“Everybody’s path is different,” Lamar-Coney noted. “Once you determine what that path is, you follow that path. That’s my motto.”

She talked about INROADS, a nonprofit that creates career pathways to students across the country. INROADS, which is open to college students and provides paid internships, helps prepare talented, diverse students for corporate readiness with business soft skills, real world leadership development activities and academic and career support.

Discussions veered into social aspects, such as the influence of school friends and things kids should avoid.

“One person talked about the importance of your social media, because of how that can be with kids nowadays, telling them to watch about the things they post and share,” Lamar-Coney said.

Informational sessions were held in the auditorium and training rooms at Alabama Power’s corporate headquarters in Birmingham. Eastern APSO helped sponsor the event.

After the classes, Brothers greeted students at the credit union-sponsored luncheon. At the event’s conclusion, each student took home an APSO-supplied satchel to use for school this fall.

Magic City and Eastern Division APSO members helped at career day. (Erica Lamar-Coney)

Lamar-Coney said APSO members contributed about 100 volunteer hours in helping with the event and hopes to do it again in 2024.

“It’s a very rewarding program,” she said. “For parents who have school-age kids, I would encourage them to look into it.”

Learn more about the Alabama Power Service Organization and the company’s volunteer efforts here.