Local Eighth Grade Students to Attend College and Career Day

“The career exposure experience I received from Minnesota State University, Mankato led me to a career in higher education,” said Julie Poyzer, Director of Career Services at Minneapolis College. “The career exposure was helpful in exploring my career options as a college student.”  

In her role at Minneapolis College, Poyzer strives to create services and programming to ensure students identify their interests, talents, and values while exploring career options through various opportunities.

To accomplish this goal, Minneapolis College partnered with Minneapolis Public Schools and GEAR UP Minneapolis to offer a two-day College and Career Day for eighth grade students attending Andersen, Anwatin, Ella Baker, Sullivan, and Olson. The College is expecting a total attendance of approximately 700 students at the March 21-22 event. Generous funding from the Minneapolis College Foundation and Perkins make this College and Career Day possible.   

“It’s extremely important for students to research and explore their interests, values and talents and find careers that are a good match,” said Poyzer. “Attendees will gain insight of the college experience, learn about careers and have an opportunity to take an interest assessment online. The hope is to set students up to think about how to approach future education and eventually, their careers.”

All students in attendance will have the opportunity to participate in four 20-25 minute, hands-on stations that explore different careers and industries. Featured areas of study are Accounting, Aircraft, Apparel, Architectural Technology, Art, Biology, Business Management, Environmental Science, Graphic/Web Design, Information Technology, Machine Tool, Nursing, Photography in Motion, Sleep Technology.

Hands-on activities provided by employer partners (US Bank and JLG Architects) and campus departments (Beacons and Student Life) will also be offered. Motivational programming designed to support underrepresented student populations will be provided by the Equity and Inclusion department. Students will be served lunch before they leave campus, and their teachers will receive guided curriculum to take back to classrooms to prompt reflection about the Day’s experiences connecting to interests.  

“College and Career Day will provide local students with a wonderful opportunity to envision themselves in various career pathways,” said Jocelyn Roof, Career Exploration Coordinator and Event Coordinator. “When students get the opportunity to have hands-on experience in a particular interest area, they are able to see a world of possibilities of how their future could look - and, they have fun while doing it! Choosing a college or career can feel daunting and overwhelming, but our hope is that after attending this event, students feel more confident and prepared for what lies ahead.”

“We understand the gaps that exist for young people regarding the value of a career and technical education,” said Poyzer, who wants to inspire students to think about their futures earlier. “This event will clear up common questions and provide an engaging experiential understanding of the educational pathways available to a variety of careers.” As listed in the College’s enrollment plan, this event is a key metric and its impact will be seen in future enrollment and career choices.

Taking it a step further, Minneapolis College is hosting an Open House for middle and high school students, adult learners, and members of the community, on March 21 from 5 - 7 p.m.