CareerQuest Helps Middle School Students Discover Their Career Paths

CareerQuest Helps Middle School Students Discover Their Career Paths

The city of Johnson, Tennessee was filled with anxious middle school students from around the greater Tri-Cities as nearly 5,000 of them gathered at the Ballad Health Athletic Center on East Tennessee State University’s campus. They were there to participate in the interactive CareerQuest Tennessee 2024 event.

Exploring Future Career Prospects

Students had the opportunity to learn about various career sectors including advanced manufacturing, construction, health care, and information technology or IT. They gained knowledge about the field directly from region’s employers and professionals, thus helping them to make informed decisions about their future career paths.

Chuck Carter, the Sullivan County Director of Schools, commented that this year’s CareerQuest was probably the best one yet. “Students seem more prepared than ever to ask appropriate questions about potential career paths, which shows that middle schools in the eight-county region and their cities are putting a proper focus on career exploration,” he said.

A Platform Brimming with Opportunities

Journeying back to 2017 when the event was first launched, CareerQuest has offered students the chance to spend time with industry leaders, practitioners, human resource professionals, and college and university professors. They get a taste of everything from driving nails in the construction sector to understanding the complex world of health care and information technology.

This phenomenal event is the brainchild of Lottie Ryans, who has served as the Director of Workforce and Literacy Initiatives for the First Tennessee Development District (FTDD) since April of 2016.

Students’ Favorite Career Choice

In CareerQuest Tennessee, students vote for their favorite sector each year with the winning sector being awarded the Best Sector Award. For the year 2024, the Health Care sector bagged the award, signifying a growing interest in this industry among the students.

“The Health Care sector is proud to win this trophy again this year,“ said sector leader, Jo Munoz of Premise Health. She expressed gratitude to all the participants and professionals who made it possible.

The Combined Effort of the Community

More than 450 volunteers helped make this event a success, which also includes elected officials, community leaders, and sponsors, who have the same opportunity to experience the event as the students do. They enjoyed a memorable brunch catered by the culinary students of regional high schools.

To learn more about the event or get details on volunteer opportunities for CareerQuest in 2025, people are encouraged to visit the event’s official website at www.careerquesttn.com.

This event proves the old saying – a community effort is always the most effective way to shape the future of budding professionals. CareerQuest Tennessee is undeniably shaping the future of many aspiring professionals and will continue to do so in the years to come.