KANSAS CITY, Mo. — More than 3,000 middle and high school students from across the Kansas City metro attended the Public Service Expo at Bartle Hall on Wednesday.

Students got to talk with professionals from eight different sectors like public works, administration, human services and information technology.

“Public sector jobs in general aren’t in the spotlight, and so I think a lot of kids might overlook the great jobs that are here, so I think it’s really important to expose them to that.” Johnson County Human Resources Partner Jesse Rozof said.

“One thing about being a public servant is that it’s a great way to give back, right, and give back to the community and just make a difference.”

Officials said there are a lot of public service jobs that students have probably never heard of. They want to expose them to the opportunities that are out there and what paths to take.

“If you think about clean water, streets, parks, services that people use every single day and touch lives. That’s what we really want young people to understand. That they have a chance to make a difference right here at home,” Mid-America Regional Council’s Director of Local Government Lauren Palmer said.

“If you think about clean water, streets, parks, services that people use every single day and touch lives. That’s what we really want young people to understand. That they have a chance to make a difference right here at home.”

Higher education institutions were also in attendance to get students thinking about life after high school graduation.