Even the littlest learners are posed with one of life’s biggest questions, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Thinking that far ahead into the future can be overwhelming, but career awareness activities, like Career Day, help students figure out and pave their pathway to adulthood.
What is Career Day?
Career Day gives students an up-close look at different career paths and connects their learning to the real world. Community members and leaders come into the classroom to share insights about their career and details about necessary education and training for career success. Meanwhile, students get the opportunity to listen to presenters, ask questions, and consider what careers pique their interest.
Why host a Career Day?
Students in elementary school all the way up to high school benefit from Career Day. Check out why you should host a career day for your students!
- Nurture Career Exploration – Animator, engineer, web designer, oh my! Career Day exposes students to careers they may not have imagined. Students have the chance to learn about careers that align with their interests and skills, so they can start to narrow down what careers to pursue in the future.
- Give Students a First-Hand Look –Reading about a career in a textbook is very different from learning about a career straight from someone in the field. Career Day provides an interactive and dynamic learning experience, where students can ask questions directly to professionals and presenters can invite students to tackle real-world problems.
- Connect with the Community – Students don’t just learn from their teachers. Community members and leaders can play a vital role in a student’s education. Career Day provides a platform where students can directly interact with members of their community. Having a diverse group of presenters allows students to see themselves represented in different career paths. Presenters can serve as role models or mentors for students.
Career Day may look a little different now due to shifts to remote and hybrid learning, but it’s still possible for students to connect with community leaders and explore different career options virtually.
Ready to host a Virtual Career Day at your school?
Register for ExploreLearning Virtual Career Days! Like a face-to-face Career Day, our Virtual Career Days experience connects you and your students with STEM professionals. Access ready-to-use, on-demand presentations and STEM resources that will inspire your students to explore careers in STEM.