October 6, 2025–Lompoc, CA – Following the success of last year’s inaugural event, the Lompoc Teen Center is proud to announce the return of Pathways: A Career Conference for Teens, scheduled for Saturday, November 15, 2025, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Lompoc High School. This one-day, hands-on conference is free for Lompoc Unified School District (LUSD) students in grades 7-12, and
designed to help local teens discover their path to success through hands-on career exploration and professional networking, mentorship and internship opportunities.
With presenting support from FPA Multifamily/G.A. Fowler Family Foundation, Allan Hancock College, and LUSD, this year’s Career Pathways Conference will feature an expanded program of interactive workshops, a career and college fair, professional networking, mentorship, and internship opportunities, and student poster presentations.
Pre-registration is required and limited to the first 300 selected students. Selected students will receive free lunch, raffle entries for prizes, and exclusive conference swag. Free roundtrip transportation will be provided by Santa Barbara Airbus to and from designated locations throughout the Lompoc area, including Cabrillo High School (CHS), Lompoc Valley Middle School (LVMS), and LUSD.
Lompoc Teen Center Press Release (Career Pathways Conference) – 10-06-2025
Throughout the day, students will have the opportunity to participate in a series of four one-hour interactive workshops, each focused on a specific career pathway. Workshops will be facilitated by local employers and professionals representing a wide variety of in-demand career fields, including:
- ● Accounting: Mary Sharp, CPA
- ● Animal Science/Zoology: Santa Barbara Zoo
- ● Business Administration/Finance: FPA Multifamily
- ● Culinary Arts/Restaurant Management: Leonardo’s Ristorante & Pizzeria
- ● Cybersecurity: Digital Ethic
- ● Dental/Oral Health: Village Dental Center
- ● Education Administration: Lompoc Unified School District (LUSD)
- ● Emergency Response (Fire): City of Lompoc Fire Department
- ● Engineering (Electrical): Canvas, Inc.
- ● Fashion/Visual Arts: DNA Model Management
- ● Financial Aid/FAFSA/Scholarships: Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara
- ● Nursing: Allan Hancock College Nursing Programs
- ● Practicing Law: Sanger, Hanley, Sanger & Avila LLP
- ● Sports Medicine: The Training Room
- ● Union Trades (Plumbing, Pipefitting, HVAC, Welding): UA Local 114
- ● Youth Workforce Development Programs: Goodwill Mission Services
The afternoon will also feature student poster presentations led by Yes I Can-Si Se Puede program students who completed a paid internship through the Lompoc Teen Center this past summer (2025).
Last year’s inaugural Career Pathways Conference welcomed more than 150 middle and high school students for a full-day of career exploration and professional networking. Students discovered new career pathways through hands-on learning, connected directly with professionals, and, for some, led to professional mentorship or paid internship opportunities. This year’s event aims to double student participation and deepen engagement with expanded hands-on learning, professional mentorship, and paid internship opportunities.
In partnership with Lompoc Unified School District, local employers, and community organizations, the Career Pathways Conference supports Supervisor Joan Hartmann’s Youth Workforce Pipeline initiative in Lompoc, which is designed to streamline career exploration, training, and local employment opportunities for Lompoc students.
“We were overwhelmed by the positive response to last year’s conference,” said Victor Alejandro Cortes, Executive Director of the Lompoc Teen Center. “This year, we’re building on that momentum to offer even more meaningful connections between students, educators, and employers. The Career Pathways Conference is all about helping teens discover real opportunities for their future, right here in our community.”
Event Details
- ● Date: Saturday, November 15, 2025
- ● Time: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- ● Location: Lompoc High School
Student Registration Pre-registration is required and limited to the first 300 selected students. Parents/Legal Guardians may register their student(s) online at: https://forms.gle/JmccDYfcuoGKSWSk8
Career & College Fair Vendor Registration
Vendor registration for the career & college fair portion of the conference is open through Friday, November 7, 2025. Employers and post-secondary institutions can register for free online at: https://forms.gle/Ae7kXanjXy8moNu97
For more information about the Career Pathways Conference or the Lompoc Teen Center, please contact:
Victor Alejandro Cortes Executive Director
Lompoc Teen Center victor@lompocteencenter.org 805-741-7904
