Bridges Career Academies & Workplace Connection Career Exploration Day

I have been working with the Brainerd Lakes Chamber on the Bridges Career Academies and Workplace Connection Career Exploration Day. It is coming up on Friday, March 11! Two Bremer business bankers, Scott Bender and Joni Smude will be working in the Business and Industry area answering banking career questions and Bremer Brainerd CEO Mike Riley and business banker Kim Ellingson will be guests at the VIP luncheon.

 

BRIDGES CAREER ACADEMIES AND WORKPLACE CONNECTION CAREER EXPLORATION DAY 2011: Central Lakes College, 501 West College Drive, Brainerd, MN - Friday March 11, 2011 - Event hours 9 a.m.to 1:30 p.m.

 

The main focus of Career Exploration Day is to allow students to explore career options. This event will focus on offering students hands-on, interactive exhibits created by area businesses and college instructors depicting their industry and the tools of the trade. The success of this event will be based on stepping outside of the traditional “rows of booths showcasing individual businesses and college program” layout, and focusing instead on businesses /college programs who have created a fun, creative area where students can get a feel for what it would be like to have a career in that field. Business and education would do this by bringing in equipment, materials and items used in the industry.

The floor plan has been divided into 7 clusters:

• Manufacturing Engineering Technology
• Arts Communication and Information Systems
• Business Management & Administration
• Health Science Technology
• Human Services
• Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources
• Liberal Arts

21 school districts have registered (2100-2300 students)
Expect over 150 career fields to be represented
Over 152 Exhibitors- including:

• Central Lakes College
• DEED- Department of Employment and Economic Development
• MSTATE - Wadena
• ISEEK
• Businesses partners
• Youth Programs and more

Business and College Representatives will serve as a career role model for the students. Students will visit an exhibitor and will be prepared to ask questions. As an exhibitor, please be prepared to answer questions regarding education/training requirements and job responsibilities, and to provide an activity within the booth that will help the career “come alive”. Examples include but are not limited to dressing in “uniform;” demonstrating tools, instruments, and computer programs/software; playing videos, etc. The students want to talk to YOU! Where did you go to school after graduating? Did you need to get an education or a certification? To make it easier on the exhibitors, you do not have to bring information on salary/wages, etc we will have DEED Representatives stationed at all the cluster areas.

Information Central will be manned by Central Lakes College, and Minnesota State Community and Technical College, Wadena Campus. This booth will be primarily for college information and help with directions to the various activities.

VIP Event is planned for 10:30 a.m. the day of the event and area media, legislators, educators, chambers, community leaders, state and local organizations, funders, and more have been invited to the event. They will get an overview of the Bridges Career Academies and Workplace Connection and the Career Exploration Day and then will be invited to spend time walking around the event on guided tours. This exposure will be a tremendous opportunity to spread the word about the great work everyone has been doing on behalf of our area students.

Posted by Julie Vreeland, NRS, Brainerd