Planning for the future sometimes requires a connection to move from concept to opportunity.
That’s where Harris County Department of Education’s (HCDE) Center for Afterschool, Summer and Enrichment (CASE) for Kids steps in. As a connecting piece between students and careers, this year’s LevelUp Afterschool is Cool Youth Expo focused on helping students build a “Game Plan for Success.”
Nearly 200 middle and high school students gathered for a day of learning and networking on March 28 at the University of Houston. The day-long conference has grown in the last three years to cover a larger footprint across Harris County while featuring dozens of vendor partners wanting to invest in area youth. The expo’s goal is to introduce students to college and career readiness opportunities, including hands-on demonstrations and a vendor fair for networking.
This year’s expo began with a panel discussion, “Real Talk on College, Careers and What Comes Next.” Panelists included Pilot Kenneth Morris, Surgical Technician Jorge Vasco, Houston Dynamo & Dash Charities Senior Coordinator Marcus Sims, Center For Civic & Public Policy Improvement Program Manager Lorenzo Salinas, and Harris County Data Analyst PJ Williams. Discussion and follow-up questions allowed students to hear varying viewpoints about careers while getting insight into different industries.
After the panel, students broke into group rotations that included visiting community partners and university representatives in a vendor fair. Students also received hands-on experience through BridgeYear’s Career Test Drive Program which connects students to high-demand career pathways that require less than a traditional 4-year degree. During these rotations, students were exposed to demonstrations from a pipefitter, surgical technologist, pharmacy technician, electrician and manufacturing technician.
Other sessions throughout the day provided information on financial literacy, social skills and college and career preparation. By the end, participants learned more about themselves and explored new pathways to their future careers.