Career Day at Martin Luther King Elementary School was a huge success. Students were able to explore real world careers through hands-on interactions with community business partners, Kunkel Ambulance and Critical Technologies. The event was scheduled in conjunction with the Utica City School District’s K–12 Career and Technical Education (CTE) initiative. Students loved learning from professionals, and started dreaming about what following this future career path might look like for them. This continues to support the district’s mission of preparing students to be career and college ready upon graduation.

Students learned about the essential roles these organizations play in the local community, gained exposure to career pathways in emergency services and technology, and engaged in conversations that highlighted the importance of power skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving and responsibility. This experience helped students begin making meaningful connections between their classroom learning and future career possibilities.