From discovering potential careers to a deepening understanding of who they are becoming, middle school marks a period of significant development in a young person’s life. It is also one of the most valuable windows for helping students connect classroom learning to the world of work, through immersive projects, workplace visits, and conversations with working professionals, well before they are asked to make consequential decisions about their futures.
There’s a clear need for middle schools to commit to this kind of career exploration, and an equally important need to find out if this can be done at scale.
To find out, Britebound partnered with 14 school districts across Massachusetts, representing 22 schools and more than 11,000 students, to pilot five distinct models to help young people learn more about themselves and their potential futures. The approaches ranged from weaving career exploration activities, like workplace visits and projects based on ones they may run into in the workplace, to giving students self-paced digital tools that let them explore careers on their own terms.
The results were clear: Participating students were 20% more likely to build human durable skills like creativity and problem-solving, 39% more likely to be satisfied with their school year, and 20% less likely to feel nervous about their future. More than half reported that their school now gives them real opportunities to learn about their own skills and interests.
This research continues to affirm a belief that has guided Britebound’s work for years: Middle school is the right time to start exploring what’s possible.
Learn more about our findings by reading our report, “Efficacy and Innovation in Middle School Career Exploration: Proven Models for Student Access.”
