This fall has been busy for our Career & Technical Education team at Eaton RESA. Our K-12 Career Preparation Teams are active (in year 2) in each local district, playing a key role in advancing career exploration initiatives. Eaton RESA has taken several steps to support this work, including ordering customized Career Trees for all school buildings in our five districts, providing Pathful Connect for high schools and offering professional development through Youth Solutions and Educators in Industry events. Below, you'll find pictures, videos and details about these activities. Click the button for your district to see a list of your K-12 career team members.

On August 12–13, 2024, Eaton RESA's Career & Technical Education team hosted its first Youth Solutions professional development training of the year at the Eaton RESA Aviation Careers Institute classroom, located at Capital Region International Airport. Over 20 Eaton County K-12 educators explored ways to connect classroom curriculum to careers, toured airport facilities (Air Traffic Control, TSA, Operations, Runway Maintenance), toured other entities at the airport (Michigan State Police Hangar, Michigan Department of Transportation, AV Flight Corporate Office & Hangar) and engaged with an industry panel featuring professionals and an Eaton RESA aviation student.

Another training is scheduled for January 20, 2025. Eaton County educators (who have not already attended a Youth Solutions training) can earn a $200 stipend and 7 free SCECH hours by attending the full-day workshop. Click the flyer for details.

This fall, our mobile labs were bustling with activity, engaging over 2,000 students in exciting, hands-on career exploration. We’re thrilled to announce that St. Joe County is developing its own Mobile Fab Lab, inspired by ours. This marks the second county to tour our labs and seek our guidance in creating their own mobile career exploration programs.

Eaton RESA remains committed to bringing innovative career exploration opportunities to Eaton County students and is excited to launch our Mobile Aviation Lab in Spring 2025! Haven’t experienced our labs yet? Watch the video below to learn more, and contact Sara Jobson to schedule a Spring visit for your school!

On November 14, 2024, Eaton RESA's Career & Technical Education team welcomed 24 Eaton County educators to Potter Park Zoo for an immersive professional development experience. Participants explored our 17 Career Preparation Center programs, with a special focus on the Zoo & Animal Science program hosted at the zoo. After a guided zoo tour, educators engaged with a panel of 14 industry experts, including five Eaton RESA alumni, who shared how their Career Preparation Center experiences shaped their career journeys. The panel represented diverse careers and organizations, such as:

• Michigan State University (Canine Cosmetology & Veterinary Medicine Departments)
• U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
• Trout Unlimited
• Michigan Ag in the Classroom
• Michigan Pork Producers Association
• Cascades Humane Society
• Paws & Claws Grooming Studio
• Riverbanks Zoo (South Carolina)

The session highlighted the vast opportunities within the Natural Resources and Agriscience Pathway, showcasing multiple routes to these exciting careers.

Mark your calendars for our next event on February 26, 2025, at Michigan State Police and LCC's West Campus—details coming soon!

On Tuesday, December 3, 2024, many of our grade 9 students from our five local districts attended MiCareerQuest, an engaging, hands-on career exploration event at the Lansing Center. The event showcased employers representing many of Michigan's 17 career clusters, offering students a unique opportunity to explore diverse career paths. Eaton RESA’s mobile labs were also part of the excitement, adding an additional interactive element to the day. Approximately 2,500 students from Eaton, Ingham, and Clinton counties participated in this impactful event.

On Tuesday, December 17, 2024, Eaton RESA's Career & Technical Education team welcomed 900 grade 10 and 11 students from 13 districts to Lansing Community College’s West Campus. During the event, students explored three programs of their choice, engaging with instructors and current students, learning about class content and opportunities, and participating in hands-on activities.

Enrollment for the 2025–26 school year is now open, and we’re excited to enroll our next group of Career & Technical Education students into our high-demand, high-wage preparation programs.

Our K-12 district career teams have been hard at work creating personalized Career Trees for each Eaton County school. These trees are customized to include each school’s name, logo, and tailored content. They serve as visual guides to career paths, required education, and essential soft skills.

To enhance their impact, Career Trees are accompanied by activities and resources for teachers and students. Middle and high school activities are sourced directly from Mark Perna’s TFS company, while elementary-level resources were thoughtfully developed by the K-12 Career Teams.

We’re thrilled about the opportunities these Career Trees bring to our career exploration programs. Curious to learn more? Connect with a member of your district’s K-12 Career Team or click the buttons below to watch a video and explore sample Career Trees from Grand Ledge Public Schools!

All five of our local districts, primarily at the high school level, have access to Pathful Connect—a dynamic program that links students with thousands of industry professionals across all six career pathways.

What is Pathful Connect? It’s a resource that allows students to explore careers through pre-recorded videos or live interviews with experts. Teachers can request live sessions, giving students the unique opportunity to engage directly with professionals.

Pathful Connect serves several key purposes:

• Broadening students’ career awareness by introducing them to new fields
• Providing role models to help students envision their future careers
• Offering insights into the career paths of industry professionals
• Connecting classroom learning to real-world applications

Interested in learning more about Pathful Connect? Reach out to your district’s K-12 Career Team or click the button below to visit the Pathful Connect website!

The updated Michigan Career Development Model has finally arrived! Click the button below to explore the comprehensive Reference Guide, Career Development Targets, Career Development Cycle, and EDP Fundamentals. The website also features pathway and cluster graphics, resources from #GoOpen, MICIP information, and access to the MiStrategy Bank—everything you need to incorporate and enhance career development planning!