Career Exploration (6-8)
Career exploration is the stage when middle school students begin learning about different types of careers and start thinking about which ones might be a good fit for their interests and strengths. Through classroom activities, career assessments, guest speakers, and planning tools, students gain a better understanding of their options and start setting goals for high school and beyond.
What does Career Exploration Look Like?
Career exploration in middle school helps students connect their interests and strengths to real-world careers through hands-on, engaging activities. This can include:
- Career assessments to discover personal interests and strengths
- Exploring career clusters and pathways in class or through online tools like Xello
- Guest speakers and career fairs featuring professionals from various fields
- Job shadowing or career-focused field trips
- Project-based learning tied to real-world problems
- Creating an Educational Development Plan (EDP) to map out high school courses and future goals
These experiences guide students in understanding what careers may suit them and what education or training is needed.
Oakland Schools' STEMi Mobile Innovation Station, a mobile lab is designed to engage K-12 students, teachers, and families a one-of-a-kind Industry 4.0 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) experience.