MAYHEW, Miss. (WTVA) – More than 2,000 eighth graders are getting a hands-on look at their future careers in the Golden Triangle.

The FORGE Your Path Career Expo brings students from nine Mississippi counties together to explore opportunities in construction and the skilled trades at The Communiversity on the campus of East Mississippi Community College’s Mayhew.

With more than 50 business and industry partners taking part, students are getting the chance to operate equipment, explore new technology, and learn about careers through hands-on experiences.

The goal is to connect students with in-demand career pathways and show them that a successful future can start with learning a skilled trade.

“What we are doing is exposing them,” said Katie McCrary, with FORGE. “A lot of them have not seen a lot of these industries and the trades. They don’t understand them. They don’t know what they are. So our goal is for them to actually put their hands on things that they have never seen or done before.”

The two-day event wraps up Thursday at The Communiversity on the campus of East Mississippi Community College’s Mayhew.