As part of Career Day, JMS students hear about the field of nursing from Janell Jayamohan,a professor at Vanderbilt’s School of Nursing

A long-term exploration into career options and evolving professional fields ended on a high for Jewish Middle School students. Local professionals joined JMS for a culminating Career Day, from industries including music, automotive engineering, entertainment, hospitality, and medicine. Meeting with these professionals gave students a glimpse into how to go about pursuing their interests and the careers of their choice. It is a short leap from middle school to high school, where students begin to acutely focus their skills and interests towards a post- secondary education and ultimately a career path. To prepare them for this transition, JMS school counselor Rachel Dega, has been leading students on an inventory of their interests and aspirations, and a survey of career options that may fit those interests.

Career-focused education gives students an up-close look at different professions and broadens their perspective beyond more traditional and familiar jobs. Students also gain an understanding of the skills and education required for the industries they have an interest in. Meeting with professionals in these fields is a chance to ask questions and learn about the details and intricacies of modern and evolving job fields.

For sixth grader Chase Rogers, the chance to hear from a music producer and audio engineer was particularly interesting. Chase is already passionate about music and dabbles in amateur music production on his own, so, “Hearing about a music producer's journey was really impactful and my favorite part of the Career Fair.”

Other students were equally inspired by the visiting professionals. Seventh grader Amalia Strosberg said that, “Hearing from a professor of Nurse Practitioning really changed my perception on this profession and made it something I might seriously look into.” Rayna Simpson, a sixth grader, added that, “Nursing and healthcare science has always been something I am passionate about. Knowing there were so many different kinds of nurses, who all work in different fields and places is really cool.”

Dega said that the goal of the Career Fair was to, “Really expose students to the vast array of career options available to them, and to help them learn how they can align their skills and interests with growing fields of work. Our students learned that there is no one prescribed way or journey towards finding your career, and that the most important thing is to be open, willing to learn, and remain committed to following your dream.”

Co-Head of School, Alene Arnold, added that “a successful Career Day, such as this one, gives students a look at the many different ways their studies and interests can relate to career opportunities, and most importantly it gets students excited and energized about their learning, which is always something we are thrilled to provide at JMS!”