C4 Day connects Cabarrus County students with local careers and hands-on opportunities
About 1,000 students explored industries across health care, trades, hospitality and public safety.
Just a year ago, Daniel Montoni walked the floor at Cabarrus County’s Career Connections Day unsure of what came next after high school.
Now, he’s back — this time on the other side of the table.
Montoni, a first-year brick mason with Huntley Brothers, a local construction company, returned to this year’s event representing his employer, sharing his experience with students navigating the same uncertainty he recently faced as a senior at West Cabarrus High School.
“It’s crazy because a year ago when I was here, I just thought it was something fun to do and get out of class,” Montoni said. “I had no idea what I was going to do.”
Now, his message is different.
“I’m really trying to relate to the students so that they can see that this is something you have to take seriously,” he said. “You have to start somewhere, and there’s opportunities out there.”
Montoni was among the representatives of roughly 60 Cabarrus-based employers at this year’s Cabarrus County Career Connections Day — known as C4 Day — which brought together about 1,000 students Wednesday morning from Cabarrus County Schools and Kannapolis City Schools at the Cabarrus Arena and Events Center.
Hosted by the Cabarrus Chamber of Commerce and the Cabarrus County Economic Development Corporation, the annual event is designed to connect students — primarily juniors and seniors, along with some younger participants — with local industries through hands-on demonstrations and conversations about career pathways.
For many students, that exposure is the point.
“It gets them excited,” said Daryle Adams, Kannapolis City Schools’ CTE director. “The fact that they’re able to touch the equipment and learn firsthand what is actually available to them.”
From health care providers like Eli Lilly and Company, Atrium Health and Cabarrus Health Alliance to hospitality employers such as Hilton Garden Inn and Great Wolf Lodge — along with skilled trades companies like Huntley Brothers, Ike’s Construction and Wayne Brothers and public safety agencies including Cabarrus County EMS and the Concord and Kannapolis fire departments — the event offers a cross-section of the local economy, helping students better understand the range of opportunities available to them.
That kind of awareness is increasingly important in a changing workforce. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median job tenure in 2024 was just 3.9 years, with younger workers often changing jobs after about two years.
Events like this are especially important, given that roughly 72% of Americans live and work within 25 miles of where they were born, said Barbi Jones, president and CEO of the Cabarrus Chamber.
“Young people know what their parents do and their aunts and uncles do, but they don’t necessarily know what’s right here in Cabarrus County,” said Melony Ritter, Cabarrus County Schools’ CTE director.
For educators like Danny Kiser, a masonry teacher at Jay M. Robinson High School, the event provides a chance for students to connect directly with employers.
“It’s a great opportunity, and it’s awesome to see that there are this many people in the county that would like to hire people coming out of high school,” Kiser said.
Students say those conversations matter.
“This is a great opportunity for anybody because this involves interacting with other people — it’s not like online,” said Many Banegas, a junior at Jay M. Robinson considering a career in construction.
Those conversations also give employers a chance to engage directly with students.
For professionals like Tori Rogers, an EMT with Cabarrus County EMS, many students express interest in health care, but events like C4 Day help them better understand the range of options available.
“I think the best way to figure out what you want to do in healthcare is to get into healthcare and to have hands-on experiences with patients,” Rogers said.
A steady stream of students visited her table throughout the morning, asking thoughtful and mature questions about the field.
Having joined Cabarrus County EMS in December, Rogers said she is able to offer students a fresh perspective as someone just beginning her career.
“Many are interested in healthcare, and they didn’t even really know that EMS is an option,” she said.
Dana Itani, senior director of HR at Eli Lilly’s Concord site, said she appreciated the opportunity to connect with students — both those who have clear career goals and those still exploring their options.
Many students, particularly those interested in STEM-related fields, stopped by Lilly’s table.
“Here at Lilly, there’s an opportunity for whatever you want to go into, whether you like people, you like devices, you like science — there’s a path for you,” Itani said.
