As eighth grade students reach the twilight of their time in Middle School, it is time to look toward the future. New classes and opportunities await in the next four years at Camden High School, and they will have to balance interests and career aspirations as they chart their course toward adulthood.
On Monday, May 19th, Camden Middle School brought a taste of several career options to students with its annual Career Day celebration. Throughout the morning, eighth graders rotated through various classroom stations, each representing a different career field. There were eight different presentations catering to a variety of potential pathways including law enforcement, chip fabrication, health care, hospitality, agriculture, banking, insurance, and physical therapy.
Emergent local workforce opportunities were a huge focus. Among the highlights of the rotation was a presentation by Camden High School graduate Jeff Richards ‘11. Jeff is a process and equipment engineering manager for WolfSpeed, a semiconductor manufacturer that has a plant in Marcy. The industry is primed for further growth in the region, and Richards was excited to talk about lucrative opportunities with students that they can pursue in their own backyard.
“I find this industry so fascinating that I want to share it with the next generation of students entering the workforce,” Richards said. “I want to get them excited about the billions of dollars in investment coming into New York State for this industry. I want them to know that they can dare to dream and break the laws of physics later on down the road.”
Beyond lucrative tech industry careers, public-facing opportunities in service-oriented sectors was also a major consideration of the event. Altmar’s Tailwater Lodge presented about their culinary operations with CHS Alumni Anne Kalk Meagher '01 and Carter Smith '14. Community Bank offered insights on the banking industry, MVPT discussed the challenges and rewards of working with physical therapy patients, and brought grip-measuring and balance board tools they use to assess patients for the students to try. Camden CSD Board of Education President Katie Stone '90 was on hand to talk about her day job in the insurance field. Ever the enthusiast for dairy farming, Camden Middle School teacher Brianne Willson brought a baby calf to the CMS Courtyard for students to meet. In law enforcement, the Camden Police Department and Oneida County Sheriff's Office were represented.
Whether it’s working directly with people on a day-to-day basis, or on scientific advancements that will power the world for years to come, it all starts with a dream. Seeing people who have made those dreams a reality can make a world of difference for young minds, and that’s what career day is all about.
