NORTH COUNTRY CAREER EXPO
Media Contact:
Tyler T. Ray, Director
Granite Outdoor Alliance
tyler@graniteoutdoor.org
603-728-7739
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
North Country Career Expo Connects Nearly 1,500 Students with New Hampshire Career Opportunities
Granite Outdoor Alliance brings outdoor careers and workforce resources to Lancaster Fairgrounds
LANCASTER, N.H. — Nearly 1,500 students from 36 schools across 4 counties connected with 100 employers at the North Country Career Expo on September 15 at Lancaster Fairgrounds, exploring career opportunities across the region. Granite Outdoor Alliance (GOA) helped bring New Hampshire’s outdoor economy into focus through outdoor employer participation, student engagement and an Employer Basecamp connecting businesses with workforce resources.
Hosted by UNH Extension and White Mountains Regional High School, the Expo gave students an opportunity to meet employers face to face, explore different industries and learn about careers close to home. GOA and the New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs’ Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry Development supported the event as premier sponsors and recruited its outdoor recreation and hospitality employers, and education, conservation and workforce partners to the event. Together, they introduced students to the range of work behind New Hampshire’s outdoor destinations, products and experiences, from equipment manufacturing and mountain resort operations to outdoor education, trail management and hospitality.
“The places young people ski, ride, hike and explore are also places where they can build a career,” said Tyler Ray, executive director of Granite Outdoor Alliance. “This Expo helped make that connection visible. Bringing employers, educators and workforce partners together is how we turn an interest in the outdoors into opportunities for young people and help businesses build the teams they need.”
The 29 participating businesses, agencies and organizations in GOA’s outdoor-career and workforce area were Adapt NH; Adventure Ready Brands; Appalachian Mountain Club Outdoor Education; Highland Mountain Bike Park; Mountain View Grand Resort & Spa; Mount Washington Observatory; New Hampshire Job Corps; New Hampshire State Parks; New Hampshire Bureau of Trails; Omni Mount Washington Resort; Bretton Woods; Santa’s Village; Ski New Hampshire; Mount Washington Cog Railway; Waterville Valley Resort; Lakes Region Media NH; Ammonoosuc Conservation Trust; Black Mountain; Entabeni Systems; Indy Pass; University of New Hampshire’s Recreation Management and Policy program; New Hampshire Department of Education’s Career and Technical Education program; New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs; New Hampshire Employment Security; New Hampshire Office of Workforce Opportunity; Meredith Village Savings Bank; Waumbek Golf; Dalton Mountain Motor Sports; Passumpsic Bank; and Granite Outdoor Alliance.
GOA’s student engagement activities encouraged participants to consider how their outdoor interests connect with fields such as equipment design, environmental science, entrepreneurship and marketing. The conversations highlighted the variety of skills needed across the industry and helped students look beyond familiar recreation roles.
Following student activities, GOA’s Employer Basecamp, sponsored by New Hampshire’s Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry Development (ORID) and Meredith Village Savings Bank (MVSB), brought expo employers together to refuel, connect and explore workforce solutions. Moderated by Dirk Nadon of Mountain Country Radio, the gathering connected businesses with state resources and sparked follow-up conversations about student placements, employee development and workforce housing.
The Expo is part of GOA’s ongoing work to connect outdoor businesses with education and workforce partners, helping strengthen career pathways and the communities that support New Hampshire’s outdoor economy.
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About Granite Outdoor Alliance
Granite Outdoor Alliance is a nonprofit business alliance that supports New Hampshire's outdoor industry, including brands, retailers, nonprofits, recreation service providers, and individuals. Granite Outdoor Alliance promotes outdoor recreation as a critical anchor for economic development, workforce attraction, community vitality, and quality of life across New
Hampshire.
Media Contact:
Tyler T. Ray, Director
Granite Outdoor Alliance
603-728-7739
Photography: Courtesy of Granite Outdoor Alliance.
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