State Rep. Blaine Wilhour’s office participated in the High School Career Fair hosted by Kaskaskia College in Centralia on Friday. Students were able to attend informational sessions from seventy-four different career fields including the session on “Government/State Rep.” opportunities. Rep. Wilhour’s legislative assistant, Lori Bear, discussed her job working for an elected official in a district office and traveling around the district meeting with people on a variety of issues they need help with.
Attendees were given an overview of the General Assembly and Illinois House of Representatives and the many options for possible careers in Illinois State government. Students learned about online access to searching job openings by county, salary range, and key words such as legal, healthcare, transportation, or research. Several students expressed interest in possibly serving as a state representative some day and learned about how an elected official is “hired” and “rehired” every two years, working conditions, and the current salaries.
