Students Engage with Multiple Careers During Career Test Drive
Posted May 21, 2024 — Approximately 90 middle school students from three partner schools attended the BridgeYear Career Test Drive®, an event that connects underserved youth to career pathways that do not require a four-year degree. The ACES Institute chose to partner with BridgeYear because this non-profit supports students in successfully accessing viable career and education pathways that provide economic stability and independence.
Students from Beatrice Mayes Institute, A+UP Charter Middle School and Cullen Middle School were invited to the Career Test Drive Fair as part of the Middle School Postsecondary Readiness Project. The event took place on May 9, 2024, at the Judy Cook Building.
Students were given the opportunity to explore careers in different fields. The careers included automotive technician, manufacturing technician, network technician, refinery operator, phlebotomist and surgical technologist.
The Middle School Postsecondary Readiness Project is a program made possible by a partnership between the ACES Institute and Rockwell Fund, Inc. The program supports underserved students in middle school. The goal is to support high school graduation by providing middle school students with additional academic support and career exploration experiences. The program supports school-identified students who need additional academic support in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).
Earlier this year, the ACES Institute collaborated with the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Cullen College of Engineering and UH STEM Center for Day of Discovery, a hands-on learning experience with the goal of increasing interest in STEM and introducing students to life on the University of Houston campus.