What is career pathways for middle school?
Our Middle Career Pathways program was established to prepare middle school students for future success through a focus on career exploration.
Our vision
3 ways to get involved
Help us inspire the next generation for career success-right within your community.
Share your career journey, highlight essential skills, and answer student questions.
Showcase your organizaiton and highlight the opportunities your company offers.
Partner with ELA to help cover the costs for materials, lunch or program delivery.
Building strong teams
Workshop topics & objectives
All curriculum aligns with Ohio's SEL Standards. ELA can provide participants with certificates for CEU credits, upon request. Select from themes below or work with the ELA team to craft customized programs to meet your goals.
Featured Program Highlight
Teacher Testimonials
“I plan on being more emphatic to my coworkers and my students especially because I truly do know the feelings that they are experiencing. I often battle those feelings alone so I don’t want them to feel the same.”
“It has allowed me to consider student and family differences in values and personalities as I communicate and work with them.”
What our students are saying
Need a second opinion?
“Being empathetic to students means maybe not knowing what they are going through but certainly not diminishing their needs. Ex: Middle School drama to me seems so minor now, but it is their whole life. I need to recognize and care about that.”
Want to know more? Reach out.
Program Participants
Frequently Asked Questions
How many students can participate at one time?
We can serve up to approximately 125 students per half-day session. Students are divided into smaller groups of about 25 students each, allowing for an engaging, interactive experience while rotating through the program.
What space is needed to host the program?
We typically need one classroom per student group (up to five classrooms for a full 125-student session). Most schools simply use students' existing homeroom classrooms, making the program easy to integrate into the school day.
What types of career speakers are included?
Students hear from professionals representing a diverse range of careers, industries, and educational pathways. We intentionally include careers that require both college degrees and skilled trades or other non-degree credentials. Past speakers have included professionals from healthcare, finance, manufacturing, entrepreneurship, local government, public safety, technology, and more.
How does Career Pathways fit into our current curriculum?
Career Pathways complements existing career exploration and workforce readiness efforts by helping students develop the confidence and communication skills needed for future success. Students learn how to:
· Make a positive first impression
· Communicate effectively using body language and tone
· Introduce themselves with a strong elevator pitch
· Build networking skills and confidently engage in career conversations
These practical skills prepare students for career fairs, mock and future job interviews, internships, and meaningful conversations with employers and other professionals.
