Career GPS helps middle school students navigate future

ZANESVILLE, Ohio- The Career GPS event is helping students navigate their future.

The Career GPS  is a career fair that was sponsored by the Muskingum Valley Educational Service Center in partnership with Mid-East Career & Technology Centers. It was a product of the ‘Inspire Action 4 Youth’ state grant program that is targeted at preparing middle school students for post-secondary life.

“The premise was to provide school districts participating in the grant with some career exploration to deeper their understanding about career pathway development and then transition planning,” said Barb Funk, Assistant Director of Mid-East Career & Technology Centers.

Over 1,000 seventh-grade students from Philo, Maysville, Tri-Valley, Sheridan and East Muskingum Schools participated over the two-day fair.

There were various community members that served as guest speakers as well as a gallery walk where tables were set up to provide more information to the students.

“Having the interest surveys at the schools and the opportunity to listen to business and community members talk about these different career pathways and different career fields also helps students to expand their understanding and whats available to them and helping them make decisions,” said Funk.

The grant stimulates a year-long program that promotes the identification of students’ personal strengths, interests and preferences to help them set career goals.

“So it may seem early starting in seventh grade but it really is a process and each year they will build on that knowledge of themselves and what their interests are to really be able to be prepared when they graduate from high school,” said Funk.

This is the first year of the Career GPS, though organizers said they hope it becomes an annual event.