Over the course of the 2016-17 school year, students, parents and teachers in the greater Wenatchee Valley were presented with a new career-connected learning experience called “Careers After School,” sponsored by Express Employment Professionals and Dutch Bros. The Wenatchee Valley Chamber of Commerce worked in partnership with Wenatchee Learns Connect to organize four different career learning experiences that gave attendees the opportunity for hands-on engagement with different careers in our community. These events targeted lesser-known career paths, inspiring students and their support networks to think outside the box when it comes to post-high school choices.
Curious about some of the experiences the attendees had this past school year?
- “Creepy Careers”- Telford’s Chapel of the Valley partnered with the county’s Deputy Coroner and a local detective to lead students through a fake crime scene, from discovery of the body to the final steps at the funeral home. Students learned about occupations such as detective, coroner, and funeral home director.
- “Dental Careers”- Merrill Orthodontics set up four different stations inside their office to expose students to the ins and outs of work in orthodontics. Attendees got to create a dental impression, fill a fake tooth, take x-rays and learn about the administrative side of the dental world.
- “Careers at Stemilt”- Employees at Stemilt jumped at the chance to expose attendees to the lesser-known careers within their facility. Careers in Quality Control, Information Technology, Horticulture, Refrigeration and Sales & Marketing were presented in a way that engaged students in a new side of our local fruit distribution center.
- “Chelan County PUD Careers in Fleet Services and Fish & Wildlife”- Chelan County PUD hosted two separate events, one showcasing careers in the Fleet Services department and the other showcasing careers in Fish & Wildlife. Between the two nights, attendees got the opportunity to operate a crane, explore the massive fleet trucks, use fish tracking technology and scan the foothills with a high-powered telescope.
There are already four new events planned for the upcoming 2017-18 school year that will highlight careers in banking, veterinary science, community healthcare and the performing arts. Stay tuned in the coming months for dates, locations and registration information. On behalf of the Wenatchee Valley Chamber of Commerce and Wenatchee Learns Connect, we are excited to see what this new year of career exploration brings!
