Giving Compass' Take:

• More schools are inviting career experts and professionals into classrooms to inspire students to think about their career goals earlier on. 

• What are the benefits of introducing professionals in classes? 

• Read about cradle to career workforce development programs that are effectively getting kids to think about their goals. 


Middle school students in Peoria, Illinois spoke with an astronaut on the International Space Station (ISS) during a summer STEM Academy, wrote District Administration.

Students had spent the week writing code that followed the ISS on its orbit so they could speak with astronaut Serena Auñón-Chancellor during a five-minute window.

Having students hear from real-world professionals can give them a chance to see how their education may impact their lives after school. Children get more than just excited when parents come to Career Day; they also see what they could become themselves one day, whether that’s a scientist, lawyer or artist.

In Juneau, Alaska, some students took part in the SouthEast Exchange, a program that linked STEM professionals, artists, photographers and people in the Native community with pupils who learned about the Bering Sea.

Read the full article about career experts in classrooms by Lauren Barack at EducationDive