WESSON – Copiah-Lincoln Community College will be hosting the17th annual Career Fair Thursday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in theMullen Gymnasium. The event will be immediately followed by aBusiness and Industry Appreciation luncheon at the Thames Center,where Mississippi State Board of Community and Junior CollegesExecutive Director Dr. Eric Clark, former secretary of state, willspeak.

Representatives from more than 80 businesses and industries willbe on hand to discuss the progress of their companies and futureemployment opportunities. The event is open to the public andadmission is free.

Co-Lin Director of Public Information Natalie Davis said a largepresence from the local medical community was expected, along withcollege and university recruiters, to speak with the college’snursing students.

“They will speaking with our nursing students about careeropportunities, because we’re having such a shortage of nurses,”Davis said. “Representatives from Rankin Medical Center I’ve seenthere before, and King’s Daughters Medical Center and most of thehospitals in the area will be there, too.”

While the career fair and luncheon are basically for the benefitof Co-Lin students, there are advantages to the public forattending the events.

“It’s basically a networking event,” Davis said. “It allows ourstudents and the public to meet with the representatives fromcompanies around the country and discuss opportunities. A lot ofbusiness and community leaders, chamber of commerce members andstate legislators will be there.”

The event, which will last about one hour, is not just forstudents and the public to pick up on career opportunities, but forlocal businesses to present themselves as well.

“It’s a good way to honor the business and industries in ourdistrict,” Davis said. “To let them show the public what they canoffer.”

Anyone wishing to attend the Business and Industry Appreciationluncheon must call the Thames Center at Co-Lin at 601-643-8707 tomake reservations. The Georgia-Pacific Catfish Cooking Team will becatering the event.