Sam Barlow High School recently hosted a career day to aid students in learning about careers and exploring ideas for their futures. It encouraged many students to contemplate their plans for life after graduation. Barlow invited many guests with different work experiences and inspiring stories to speak at the career day event, and each student got to choose four different career options they wanted to explore. It went smoothly for both the speakers and students and overall career day was a huge success. In the future, the event will happen biennially, meaning it will happen every two years. Although the event was skipped in past years due to Covid, post-Covid each Barlow student will have the opportunity to attend career day twice. 

“Career day was a great experience. The students were attentive and several asked follow-up questions with genuine interest. My favorite part was the enthusiasm of several students to pursue a career in Fisheries or Marine Biology.” replies Joseph Moreau, a fisheries biologist in the Pacific Northwest. Students were able to choose topics they were passionate about, and discover what acquiring a job in that field would look like, by hearing from people who have had those jobs. There was a huge variety of topics with over 70 speakers, ranging from animal services to technology & engineering. The event was split into four 20-minute sessions, where the students had the opportunity to hear the speaker’s presentation, view an informative slideshow, and ask questions about a future in that career. Learning about different careers can be very important because it can help you decide which career field you want to pursue, and which you don’t have any interest in. 

“I think it went well! I liked that the speakers were in classrooms, it was the perfect number of students to speak to. LindaLee was a very thorough organizer of this event, she really made sure that we were prepared and gave us talking points to consider, which I appreciated!” states Sara Reseburg, a barista, and owner of Bow and Arrow Coffee house. Several guests commented on the great accommodations and tech support, as well as the organization of the event. 

“Guest speakers can inspire students so they have a chance to forecast for classes that help them to learn more about a career they are interested in. If a student can find a career that fits their interests and skills, they can complete high school and know what the next steps should be, whether 4 years of college, serving in the military, or going into an apprenticeship,” comments LindaLee Frazier. If you are interested in learning more about future career opportunities you can visit Mrs. Frazier and Mrs. Neuenschwander at the college and career center to learn more about career opportunities and future college plans. There are 3-4 out-of-school field trip opportunities a month to tour and observe different workplaces, as well as thousands of video experiences that tour different colleges. Learning about future careers is crucial to being confident in the decisions you make about your future career.