Students at Pioneer Drive Elementary School are getting the opportunity to learn about all kinds of different careers. Teachers say it’s an event students look forward to every year.
It’s a tradition that’s been going strong for the past four years at Pioneer Drive Elementary School in southeast Bakersfield.
Students walked the field with their teachers, taking in a wide range of career booths designed to show them what their futures could look like.
From firefighters and paramedics to engineers, plumbers, and news reporters, dozens of professionals spent Friday showing students what their jobs look like beyond the classroom.
But the inspiration behind each booth doesn’t come from teachers or administrators, it comes from the students themselves.
Months before the event, kids are asked one simple question.
“I interview a focus group of kids every year and ask them what do you want to be when you grow up and then we try and get someone from all of their careers out here, so thats how we got you guys out here because I’ve got a couple of 6th graders that want to be journalists when they grow up,” said Assistant principal Ashley McDonald.
McDonald says from there it takes off, and the excitement becomes almost uncontrollable.
“My favorite part about career day is that it can actually change the mindset of what like you can be when you grow up and you learn a lot about how much money you earn a year,” said Sixth-grader Kimberly Galvan.
Sixth-grader Kimberly Galvan has dreamed of becoming a neurosurgeon for years, and she says career day only strengthened that goal after getting the chance to speak with medical professionals.
The event doesn’t just highlight career paths and local colleges, it also showcases trade jobs for students who may choose a different route than college.
From children as old as 12 to as young as 3, administrators say the mission is simple: spark excitement about their futures as early as possible.
“You can change your mind a million times and thats okay but we always need to have an end goal no matter how young you are so you have something to strive for and work for,” said McDonald.
As Career Day comes to an end, administrators say they hope these small conversations leave a lasting impact on students as they continue exploring their futures.
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