Career Exploration (6-8)

About the Program

Career exploration is the stage when middle school students begin learning about different types of careers and start thinking about which ones might align with their interests and strengths. Through classroom activities, career assessments, guest speakers, and planning tools, students gain a better understanding of their options and begin setting goals for high school and beyond.

Activities and Opportunities

• 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

Program Impact

These experiences guide students in understanding what careers may suit them and what education or training is needed.

Additional Resources

Oakland Schools' STEMi Mobile Innovation Station, a mobile lab, is designed to engage K-12 students, teachers, and families with a one-of-a-kind Industry 4.0 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) experience.