Above / During Career Motive-8, staff representing the local hospitality industry talked with students about sales and marketing careers that aim to bring visitors to the community via Visit Naperville and Dine Naperville. Julie Rizzo, Administrative Assistant, and Carlos Madinya, Director of Sales, welcomed students to learn how they work to showcase and promote Naperville attractions. (PN Photo)
Remember Career Day presentations when individuals from businesses put on programs about their professions? They came to classrooms and shared their expertise. Students had a chance to learn about a variety of opportunities that might inspire their interest—or not.
Last year, Naperville 203 created a new event to give 8th-grade students a taste of careers. And recently the school district hosted its second 8th Grade Career Exploration Day called Career Motive-8 at Naperville Yard. In partnership with area businesses, Naperville 203 aimed to motivate students to explore a variety of careers during a showcase of opportunities, presented in nearly 100 booths divided among five “zones.”
The purpose of Career Motive-8 was to provide hands-on experience for students, aligned with the district’s comprehensive counseling curriculum, to deepen their understanding of the careers available throughout the local community and across multiple career pathways.
This event was designed to support the district’s mission to “produce students who are self-directed learners, collaborative workers, complex thinkers, quality producers, and community contributors.”
Each zone featured dozens of booths. Each business booth was staffed with representatives to answer questions and to provide a hands-on activity to engage students in learning about their career. During Career Motive-8, approximately 1,300 students from the district’s five junior high schools had a chance to interview representatives from various career booths.
More than a few times, students were overheard asking business representatives, “What kind of education is needed to do your job?
“As much education as possible,” said a rep from International Paper. “Every job is about life-long learning.”
Outside where Zone 5 featured vehicles from local car dealers as well as Naperville Police and Fire departments, students asked, “What do you like best about your job?”
One police officer answered without hesitation, “Every day is different.”
