MILFORD – With handshakes and smiles, students put their best selves forward last week during a job and and internship fair at Milford High School.

Representatives of 45 local companies had booths set up in the gym for the all-day event so students could quiz them about opportunities for summer jobs or long-term careers.

“Every company is actually hiring” for paid or unpaid internships, part-time, full-time or seasonal jobs, said Jennifer DiMaria, the high school’s career specialist who organized the April 18 event after school counselor Kiersta Stallman came up with the idea.

With New Hampshire’s unemployment rate holding at less than 3 percent, many businesses were looking for help.

Jessica Rosado, office manager at Milford Veterinary Hospital, wanted someone to do kennel work and to assist the veterinary technician.

Elizabeth Barnhill from Genesis Health Care said the Crestwood nursing home is hiring licensed practical nurses and will pay for the six-week class as well as pay for the hours spent in class.

“There is a huge nursing shortage,” she said, calling an LPN certification a great start to a health career.

Jim Turner, of the New England Carpenters Training Fund, said he was interested in talking to girls about careers in construction. Right now about 10 percent of construction jobs are held by women, up from 3 percent several years ago. The goal is 20 percent by 2020. He talked about an “earn as you learn” program and the shortage of workers in all construction trades, despite annual pay that can go up to $60,000, and $100,000 in the Boston area.

Representatives of the Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains were there looking for summer camp counselors, 18 and older. “Hiring is slow,” said Lara Skinner, outdoor program coordinator, and the jobs are best for girls who “have service at their core.” This was the first time Girl Scouts had been at a job fair at the secondary school level, and Skinner said she was eager to learn what eighth graders would ask.

Those eighth graders from Milford Middle School came to the high school on a field trip, to interview employers about opportunities and to play a career exploration game.

Internship program students took part in a competition called “Elevator Pitch Challenge,” to see who could make the best impression, and there was a scavenger hunt and door prizes.

Also in the gym were seniors who are part of a career focus internship program, – 60-65 hours of work-based learning and many of them coordinate their own internships.

One of them is D.J. Godlewski, a Milford senior, who’s been working part-time for Cirtronics since September and has a full- time job with the contract manufacturer this summer. He plans to study mechanical engineering at Southern New Hampshire University next fall and said he hopes to continue working at Cirtronics each summer. He credited the school’s Applied Technology Center with giving the skills he needed.

Kathy Cleveland may be reached at 673-3100 or

kcleveland@cabinet.com.