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9 Career Day Speech and Presentation Ideas (2024)

Last updated: May 28, 2024

I was a speaker at an elementary school career day. When I received the invite, I had no idea what to talk about.

What should I say? What questions should I ask?

How should I structure my speech? What were some presentation ideas?

Now I know. And I will tell you everything that I learned.

These are the best tips, tricks, and advice for speakers at an elementary school career day.

The speech and presentation ideas are collected from educators, colleagues, friends, and my own experience. You’ll read in this article about my learnings from hosting a career day, including:

• How to write your speech
• What things to bring (props)
• How to interact with the kids, and more.

Table of Contents

Introduction

My girlfriend invited me to speak to her 2nd grade class at their Career Day.

I immediately thought: How do I speak to children? What do elementary school kids want to hear at a Career Day?

What I learned is that there are many differences in speaking to kids compared to speaking to adults .

You should be aware of the following:

• The kids were very participative. They gave many more questions and interactions and interruptions than I’ve ever had with an adult audience.
• If I was asking a question to the audience and getting answers from multiple people, I had to remind each student of the question. In a presentation to adults, if I ask a question, I can just point at different adults and quickly get multiple answers around the room. Today I found that I had to repeat the question each time I pointed at a new student in order to help them remember what I was specifically asking for.
• The kids all sat on the floor. To raise engagement levels, it was helpful for me to also sit on the floor or in a small chair.

Best Career Day Tips

Here are my best tips that you can use when writing your speech or presentation.

Write your speech with simple language

But don’t “talk down” to the kids in class, even at an elementary school.

Be prepared to answer questions.

The students will be very curious! They had a LOT of questions for me.

Have Good Stories Ready

You should also have good stories that you can tell about situations at work which describe your daily duties.

I received lots of tips and advice for my own talk from my network. Here at the best tips that I used:

• Sit At Their Level

Sit at their level. Either on a little chair or on the floor. Grownups can be scary! — Jason Hackett

• Bring Props

My friend Jarrod suggested that I bring some props. I brought large printed examples of some objects at the museum.

Props are a great way to keep the students engaged and allow them to look at and fiddle with something while they’re speaking with you. — Ecka

• Have High Energy / Be Excited

I think my girlfriend told me this: Get excited! Kids can feel the energy. Be animated and expressive with my body and face.

My friend Danielle said: “Be silly, yet firm.”

Ask the Students Questions

This was one of the best pieces of advice, and a lot of people suggested it.

Make sure there is a back and forth. Ask them questions, encourage them to ask questions. — Sarah Marsom

Ask tons of questions. I start by asking them if they have ever been on a field trip and then explain that I plan field trips for adults. — Theresa

Ask questions throughout!!! It will empower them to feel like they are part of the conversation and promote active listening throughout!!! — Camellia

Questions That I Asked

• Who here has ever been to a museum? (raise your hand)
• Who can name a museum in New York City?
• What are some things that you find inside of a museum?
• Entrepreneurship: If you were going to sell something to your friends, what would you sell and why?
• Interactive Play

Think about a game or activity about your job. Allow the children to role play as if they are in a day of your career.

• Bring a Box of Snacks

Check with the teachers beforehand to get approval or dietary restrictions, but this can be a big win! Kids love snacks.

Tell a lot of stories about your job

Kids also love stories. Imagine you’re telling a bedtime story: how would you talk about your career? What is one of your favorite memories from work? What was it like when you first started your job?

Give the students examples

One of the things kids can relate to is toys. Bringing up one of the best toys like SLIME can surely make the whole class excited! Ask them what type of slimes would they like to put if they have a Slime Museum?

Give out handouts or prizes

Do you have any brochures from your job that you can pass around, ideally with photos?

Are there objects that you could pass around the room?

Bring those to your career day speech to make it more interactive.

Sample Career Day Speech

Here’s what you could say for a sample career day speech. It is based on my own presentation to a group of 2nd graders when I introduced myself as a museum tour guide.

Hello everyone! My name is Nick Gray and I am a museum tour guide. Who here has ever been to a museum? Raise your hand if you’ve ever been to a museum before. My job is to be a museum tour guide. That means I walk people around as a guide at an art museum. I tell them about the works of art. Who has ever seen a paining before? Raise your hand if you have ever seen a painting. Keep your hands up. I am going to call on someone now to ask you about what painting you saw, or what you remember. (ask a few students about any painting they have seen before, and what they liked about it) The times that I work for my job are 10AM to 6PM every day. Sometimes I even have to work on Saturday and Sundays, because those are very busy days at the museum. Do you think you would want to work on the weekend? My favorite parts about my job are meeting new people, and doing research about the new works of art. To do my job, you have to be very good at talking to people. Who here likes talking to people? Raise you hand if you like talking to people.

Presentation Feedback

In two of the classes that I spoke to, I asked the teachers to fill out these “Comment Cards” for my career day presentation. I love to get feedback whenever I speak.

Class 1 — It was effective when:

• Positive narrating good behavior.
• Contextualizing your occupation with a fun launch that engaged kiddos.
• The harmonica was captivating!
• Introducing pieces from the museum, but pushing kiddos to inquir & think critically of the pieces.

Class 2 — It was effective when:

• You brought resources.
• You brought tons of enthusiasm!
• Gave many opportunities for the kids to speak and share.
• Good job sounds! (That was when I played my harmonica.)

Areas for improvement:

• Limiting students called on for each question in the interest of time (time conflicts that are not your fault, though). Nick’s note: I can certainly improve a lot here. There were just SO MANY kids wanting to participate. I didn’t want to make kids feel left out by not calling on them, so I think I tried to call on everyone. This wasted a lot of valuable time.
• I have lots more things that I could improve on! But the teachers were too nice not to critique me more.

Presenting at Career Day as an elementary school speaker was challenging, rewarding, and fun.

In summary, my best advice for career day speakers is:

• Ask Them Questions
• Tell A Lot Of Stories
• Give The Students Examples They Can Relate To
• Give Out Handouts Or Prizes

I have a newfound respect for teachers at all grade levels. To deal with so many active students for hours every day… wow. It was tiring after one hour and I can’t imagine a whole day of being “on” like that.

What advice do you have for someone who is presenting to elementary school kids on Career Day? Send me an email and let me know.

Thank you to KIPP Infinity in Harlem for inviting me to speak, Zach for organizing and managing the morning, Rachel for proof-reading this post and inviting me, and all my friends on my private Facebook who gave tips and advice.  

Video Example of Teaching Style

This is the best video I found online showing classroom management by a teacher. It was helpful to watch and try to emulate some of these things when I presented to the students for Career Day.

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Top 5 Career Presentation Templates with Samples and Examples

Shivam Kumar

Career advancement and professional growth are key aspirations of talented individuals seeking to thrive in their chosen fields. To translate those dreams into reality, a knowledge of career development plan and the standard roadmap to achieve goals is an absolute-must.

When you start out your career journey, a seemingly endless list of tasks awaits you and you must learn how to plan and set goals to get out of the chaos. Click here to access must-have goal planning templates to give your efforts a clear direction.

This collection of PowerPoint presentations from SlideTeam provides a valuable resource for those looking to strategize and plan their career trajectory.

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Whether aiming for that coveted job promotion or seeking to outline your career roadmap, these slides offer a wealth of insights and practical guidance. They empower individuals to make informed decisions, set goals, and align their journey with their aspirations. Moreover, they cater to the needs of HR professionals and managers, facilitating employee career progression and development within organizations.

These templates are hands-on tools for career advancement, and are 100% editable and customizable, offering your both structure and a starting point. 

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Template 1 Job Career Promotion PowerPoint Presentation Slides

If you’re striving for that next step in your career or aiming to leave a lasting impression on decision-makers, this PPT Template equips you with the tools to create a powerful and impactful presentation. Use this presentation template to craft a compelling narrative around your career journey, objectives, strengths, and aspirations. Propel your career path, engage your audience, and prime yourself for a future filled with achievement. Download this template from the link below. The slide on projects and achievements and the one slide on how I helped my current team add to the utility of the presentation template.

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To unlock your potential, we present a ready-made sample of a career planning process PowerPoint Presentation. To enhance and harmonize your career path planning, we’ve incorporated innovative design templates covering the evaluation process, work experience, project engagements, achievements, personal goals, key skills, current competencies, and much more. 

Enhance your self-assessment and articulate your career change ideas. With this resource, you can confidently shape your path to success.

Template 3 : Career Path Planning PowerPoint Presentation Slides

Navigate your career journey with precision using this PPT Template, a comprehensive complete deck of a toolkit in 30 slides. This presentation is  designed for professionals seeking to effectively chart their career progression. This PowerPoint theme expertly guides you through the entire process of succession, spanning across assessment, planning, development, training, and evaluation phases. Additionally, you can effectively demonstrate planning elements, objectives, and the essential tools required for career progression. Elevate your career with precision and confidence using this invaluable resource. Embark on your successful career journey today. Your path to professional growth begins.

Template 4 Employee Career Progression Planning PowerPoint Presentation Slides

The cornerstone of success lies in creating a clear structure for talent nurturing and career development. Recognizing and retaining skilled employees is not just important; it's imperative. Our comprehensive Employee Value Proposition (EVP) PowerPoint Deck is designed to help you pinpoint exceptional talents within your workforce and empower them to realize their full potential. This competency-based development slideshow covers components, categories, and frameworks, all adaptable to your unique organizational needs. It serves as a flexible career management visual, allowing ample customization to align with your goals. With this investment into your internal talent pool, you not only reduce external hiring costs but also foster professional growth, strengthen your employer branding, and facilitate career progression. Seize the opportunity to elevate your workforce and maximize their potential with this invaluable resource. It’s time to champion talent development and secure a brighter future.

Template 5 Career Development Roadmap PowerPoint Presentation Slides

Our PowerPoint Presentations are your gateway to showcasing career, project, and business advancements that captivate your audience. Use this complete PPT deck to outline your business plan's objectives or agenda effectively. The roadmap details steps like pedagogy, planning, content development, production, delivery, and evaluation. Highlight key features of your learning roadmap to elucidate procedures efficiently. Dive into the four learning roadmap phases: assessment, curriculum development, logistics, and certification.

Template 6 : Career Timeline PowerPoint Presentation Slides

These PPT templates spotlight your best work, leaving a remarkable impression on your interviewer. Present your short- and long-term goals with engaging visuals, and captivate your audience with achievements and milestones. Navigate through your work experience, highlighting accomplished tasks and discussing your future aspirations. This career path timeline PowerPoint Slideshow offers well-designed, clutter-free timelines, each tailored to enhance your narrative and create a presentation that reflects your unique journey.

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These PowerPoint Presentation Templates provide keys to unlocking and accelerating your career growth. Whether you aspire to climb the corporate ladder, map out your career journey, or facilitate the progression of your employees, these resources offer invaluable guidance and insights. The templates help you structure your career aspirations and goals. Using these powerful presentation templates, you can simplify and accelerate your career growth, making your dreams of success a tangible reality. Elevate your career with ease, and seize the opportunities that lie ahead with these PowerPoint presentation templates.

If you’re interested in exploring career planning timeline templates, feel free to discover them Click here !

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FAQs on Career Presentation

What should be included in a career presentation.

A compelling career presentation begins with a captivating introduction, often a personal story or relevant industry example. It should provide insight into your unique career journey, highlighting milestones, challenges, and successes. Articulate your career goals and their alignment with your values and passions.

Share your core skills, competencies, and educational background, showcasing how your experiences have shaped your path. Delve into your work history, emphasizing key roles, projects, and lessons learned. Express your commitment to continuous learning and professional growth. 

Address challenges you've encountered, demonstrating resilience and problem-solving skills. Outline your vision for the future, describing the impact you aspire to make and the steps you plan to take.

Throughout, offer practical advice and insights based on your experiences. Use visuals, multimedia, and interactive elements to engage your audience. Summarize key takeaways, invite questions, and foster meaningful dialogue.

What is the purpose of the career presentation?

The purpose of a career presentation transcends the mere dissemination of information; it is a powerful opportunity to inspire, guide, and connect. At its core, a career presentation is a beacon illuminating the path ahead. A career presentation goes beyond the boundaries of a resume or LinkedIn profile. It’s a platform to share personal narratives, lessons learned, and the invaluable wisdom accrued over time. It encapsulates the spirit of mentorship, offering insights and advice that can shape the trajectory of others' careers. In essence, the purpose of a career presentation is to illuminate, motivate, and connect. It's an instrument of empowerment, a catalyst for growth, and a testament to the belief that each career is a unique and evolving narrative waiting to be written.

What is career life cycle?

The career life cycle is a dynamic and multifaceted journey that everyone embarks upon, characterized by distinct phases of growth, learning, and transformation. This unique trajectory defies a one-size-fits-all approach, as it is deeply influenced by personal aspirations, external opportunities, and the evolving professional landscape. It starts with the exploration phase. This is a period of self-discovery, where individuals identify their passions, strengths, and career preferences. It's a time of educational pursuits, skill acquisition, and the cultivation of foundational knowledge. As the journey progresses, the establishment phase unfolds. Here, individuals enter the workforce, building their reputation, and gaining practical experience.

The career life cycle then enters the expansion phase, characterized by the pursuit of new challenges and opportunities. Individuals may explore career paths, industries, or entrepreneurial ventures. It’s a phase, where innovation and adaptability emerge as the driving force. Finally, the culmination phase marks the twilight of one's active career.

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5 Ways to Make Career Day Presentation Interesting 

by Tracy Mayaka

A Career Day is a highly structured Career Awareness activity in which working-class people from a variety of companies come together at a school or online to share information about their companies, their job description and the education skillset that is required for success in their career.  

What are Career Days Designed to do?  

Career days are designed to meet specific learning objectives, and to help students connect what they’re learning in school with the workplace.

They listen to speakers seeking information about the industry and the career options it provides.  

They also learn about the education required for entry into the industry and   participating business role in the local economy.

Career day presentations offer a unique opportunity to inspire students and provide insight into various professional paths.  

How to Make a Memorable and Informative Presentation  

To make your presentation not only informative but also engaging and memorable, you need to put together a whole lot of preparation, creativity, and enthusiasm.  

This comprehensive guide will walk you through strategies to create an interesting career day presentation that leaves a lasting impact on students.  

1. Understanding your Audience  

The first step to having an engaging career day presentation is knowing your audience.

The age group and educational level of your audience will significantly influence the content and how you deliver your speech, for example;  

• Primary School Students: Keep it simple, interactive, and fun. Young children get distracted easily and respond well to visuals and hands-on activities. Getting a variety of fun as well as educative games to keep the children engaged is a sure way to get career day fun and exciting for them.  
• High School Students: Provide more detail about your profession, but still focus on interactive and engaging content. High school students are curious and can handle more complicated information, especially if it relates to their interests.  
• University Students: Offer detailed insights into your career, including educational paths, daily responsibilities, and future opportunities. University students are thinking about their futures and are interested in practical advice and real-life experiences.

Start with a Hook  

Begin your presentation with a captivating line to grab the audience’s attention.

This could be an interesting fact, a surprising statistic, or a personal story related to your career.

For instance, if you’re a scientist, you could start with a mind-blowing experiment or a fun fact about space.  

Establish Relevance  

After your hook, briefly explain why your career is important and relevant to the students’ lives.

This helps establish a connection and shows them the value of paying attention.

For instance, if you’re a doctor, you might say, “Understanding how the human body works and how to keep it healthy is something everyone can benefit from.”

2. Delivering Your Message  

Once you know your audience, deliver your message to their level of understanding and interest.

Consider what might resonate with them while also keeping them engaged;  

• For Younger Students: Focus on the exciting aspects of your job. If you’re a firefighter, talk about the big red trucks and the excitement of helping people. If you’re a scientist, share fascinating experiments and discoveries.  
• For Older Students: Discuss the skills required for your profession, potential career paths, and the steps they can take to enter the field. Share your educational background and any relevant experiences that shaped your career.  

Importance of Visuals  

Visual aids are powerful tools for enhancing understanding and keeping the audience engaged.

Here are some types of visual aids you can use:  

• Slides: Create a visually appealing slide deck with images and bullet points.  
• Videos: Short videos can illustrate your work environment, a day in your life, or specific tasks you perform.  
• Infographics: Use infographics to simplify complex information and present it in an easy-to-understand format. Infographics can illustrate career paths, industry statistics, or the impact of your work. This is especially necessary for students in the university.  

The Power of Stories  

Storytelling is a powerful way to convey information and make your presentation more memorable.

They illustrate key points and keep the audience engaged.

You   could share your journey including the ups and downs you’ve faced and also talk a bit about what a typical day in your line of work looks like.  

Importance of Interaction  

Having an interactive session in between your speech will greatly enhance engagement and help reinforce key points.

They make the presentation more fun and allow students to actively participate.  

Bringing Your Work to Life  

Props and demonstrations can make your presentation more fun, engaging and provide a tangible connection to your work.

They help illustrate your points clearer and make your profession look more real to the students.

Consider the following ideas:  

• Tools of the Trade: Bring along tools or equipment you use in your job. For example, if you’re a photographer, bring your camera and explain its features. If you’re a doctor, bring a stethoscope and demonstrate how it’s used.  
• Live Demonstrations: Conduct live demonstrations to show your work in action. For example, if you’re a scientist, perform a simple experiment. If you’re a chef, demonstrate a simple cooking technique.  
• Samples and Models: Bring samples or models related to your work. For example, if you’re an engineer, bring a model of a structure you’ve designed. If you’re an artist, bring samples of your artwork.  

To make your presentation more relevant and memorable, connect your career to the students’ future goals and interests.

Discuss how the skills and knowledge they are acquiring in school relate to your profession.

Here are some tips:  

• Highlight Relevant Subjects: Explain how subjects they are studying in school, such as math, science, or English, are used in your job. For example, if you’re an engineer, discuss how math and physics are essential in designing structures.  
• Discuss Educational Pathways: Provide information about the educational paths that lead to your career. Discuss the degrees, certifications, or training programs required. Highlight any extracurricular activities or internships that can provide valuable experience.  
• Showcase Career Opportunities: Discuss the various opportunities within your field. Explain the different roles and specializations available, and the potential for growth and advancement. This helps students see the long-term possibilities of pursuing a career in your profession.  

Providing Practical Advice  

Offer practical advice to help students achieve their career goals.

Share tips and strategies that have helped you succeed.

For example:  

• Networking: Emphasize the importance of networking and building relationships in your industry. Share tips on how to connect with professionals and seek mentorship.  
• Continuous Learning: Highlight the importance of continuous learning and staying updated with industry trends. Recommend resources such as books, websites, and courses that can help them stay informed.  
• Soft Skills: Discuss the soft skills that are important in your profession, such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. Provide examples of how these skills are used in your daily work.  

4. The Power of Passion  

Your enthusiasm and passion for your work can be contagious when you speak with genuine excitement about your career, it captures the audience’s attention and inspires them.

Here are some ways to convey your enthusiasm:  

• Express Your Passion: Talk about what you love most about your job and why you chose this career. Share your excitement about recent projects or achievements.  
• Be Animated: Use expressive gestures and facial expressions to convey your enthusiasm. Vary your tone of voice to emphasize important points and keep the audience engaged.  
• Share Success Stories: Highlight success stories and positive experiences from your career. These stories can demonstrate the impact of your work and inspire students to pursue similar paths.  

Leave a Lasting Impression  

Give the students something to remember your presentation by.

This could be a small souvenir, a brochure, or a list of resources for further exploration. Here are a few ideas for takeaways:  

• Handouts: Provide handouts with key information, fun facts, and useful resources related to your career. This can reinforce your message and serve as a helpful reference.  
• Souvenirs: If possible, give out small souvenirs related to your profession. For example, if you’re a writer, you could give out bookmarks or pens with your name and website.  
• Resource Lists: Provide a list of books, websites, and organizations that can help students learn more about your field. Include any online courses or workshops that might be beneficial as well.  

For kindergarten students, gifts like glow bracelets are a fun and sure way to make them remember you for quite some time.  

• Encouraging a Follow-Up  

Encourage students to do follow up if they have more questions or are interested in learning more about your career.

You might be surprised by just how many are interested. Let us look at a couple of ways in which this can be achieved:  

• Contact Information: Share your contact information, such as an email address or social media handles, where students can reach you with questions or advice.  
• Offer Mentorship: If possible, offer to mentor interested students. This could involve answering their questions, providing guidance on educational paths, or helping them find internship opportunities in industries that align with their career paths.  

• Follow-Up Activities: Suggest follow-up activities or projects that students can do to explore your field further. For example, if you’re an environmental scientist, you might suggest a school project on local ecosystems.  

  Conclusion  

Making a career day presentation interesting requires a lot of preparation, creativity, and enthusiasm.

By understanding your audience, crafting an engaging introduction, utilizing visual aids, sharing personal stories, incorporating interactive elements, bringing props and demonstrations, relating your career to students’ future goals, showing enthusiasm, and providing takeaways, you can create a memorable and inspiring presentation.  

  Keep in mind though, that the goal is to not only inform but to ignite curiosity and a passion for your profession. With these strategies, you can leave a lasting impression and help students envision a future in your field.  

References  

Rachel Kolar (2018). Lessons from Elementary Schools Career Day, 2017 Edition. Retrieved from rachelkolar.com.  

Tim Hindle (1998).Making Presentations.  

Lisette Edgar. Speech Sprouts. Retrieved from speechsprouts.com.  

Nick Gray. (2024). 9 Career Day Speech and Presentation Ideas. Retrieved from nickgray.net.  

Carmine Gallo. (2014). Talk like Ted: 9 Public Speaking Secrets of the World’s Top Minds.  

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10 Fantastic Ideas for Career Day at School You’ll Love

If you need ideas for career day at school or your community helpers theme that work great in both classrooms and speech therapy, keep reading!

Your school may have lined up some great speakers and demonstrations and your kids may be over the moon that they get to dress up on Career Day as their favorite occupation. Kids really relate to the topic of careers and community helpers, because they can connect their real-world experiences to it.

So why not build on the fun ahead of time, expand your student’s vocabulary, language skills, and knowledge and really help that learning stick! Here are 10 fabulous ideas for career day activities to get you started.

Set the stage for excitement with these ideas for career day at school.

1. start exploring careers the week before with a few wonderful books.

Since I love combining literacy and learning, my first idea for career day at school is to start with some great books about occupations and community helpers. Whether you find them in your library or on YouTube, these are great choices:

• Whose Vehicle is This? Written by Sharon Katz Cooper is great for your younger students. This book shows each vehicle and asks “Whose vehicle is this?” Have your children guess, then read the description. There are also fun facts about the vehicles and what each person who uses that vehicle does. For instance, in the description of a mail carrier, students will learn that mail vehicles have steering wheels on the right instead of the left!
• Whose Tools are These? and Whose Hat is This? are two more great books by Shannon Katz Cooper you’ll want to check out.
• Career Day by Anne Rockwell tells about children in a class who bring their “special guests” (their parents) to their career day. Each guest has something interesting to share about their career, from bulldozer driver, to judge, to crossing guard.
• Clothesline Clues to Jobs People Do  by Kathryn Heling and Deborah Hembrook takes a look at what’s hanging on different clotheslines to figure out what job each person does.
• Belinda Baloney Changes Her Mind by Becca Carnahan. Belinda finds that the world is full interesting jobs and keeps changing her mind about what she wants to be when she grows up. She worries about that, then learns that that she doesn’t need to decide yet…just have fun exploring the possibilities!
• Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty and David Roberts is a fun book about a girl who has lots and lots of questions… a budding scientist for sure.
• Andrea Beaty and David Roberts have many more fun career books like Iggy Peck, Architect and Rosie Revere, Engineer .
• What Do You Do With An Idea?  by Kobi Amanda is the story of a boy with a big idea. Was it too strange and weird? Should he abandon it? No, because it’s good to see things differently… and you might even… change the world! A wonderful book to encourage young thinkers, future inventors and entrepreneurs!

2. Guess Who? Grab Bag

Fill a bag with descriptions of community helpers and careers. Students reach in and read the description and try to guess who it is. For younger children who are not readers, you may want to use pictures of their vehicles, clothes, or tools. (If you need pictures, check out my Pronouns and Plurals, Dress me Community Helpers activity below.)

3. Make a Paper Bag Village with Community Helpers

I love this idea for career day from In The Bag Kids Crafts. Provide brown paper bags, crayons or markers, scissors, and construction paper. Have each child choose a different community helper and create a “shop” or place of work. Have your children tell all about what’s in their shop or business, and what people do there.

4. Twenty Questions

Put a picture or list a career on each card. For large groups, pin a card with a clothespin to the back of each child’s shirt (or play with cards in headbands for smaller groups). Have the group walk around and take turns asking each other questions to try and figure out what their career is. You may want to set a 5 or 10-minute time limit. Provide a list of sample questions for younger children such as:

• Do I use a vehicle to do my job?
• Do I work with animals?
• Can my job be dangerous?
• Do I wear special clothes for my job?

This is such a fun idea for career day at school (or week)! Some students may need support in asking questions, so I’ve made cards for you with sample questions they can ask while playing this game. Download them here: 20 Questions Career Day Game Cards.

If you’d like to save yourself time with ready-made picture cards, scroll down. The cards in either of my career and community helpers resources below would work great!!

5. Play Three to One Thumbs

For older children, have them choose an occupation and tell 3 reasons why the job may be great (Thumbs up!), and one reason that it might be challenging (Thumbs down).

6. Compare/Contrast

Have older children choose two occupation cards from a bag or bowl and list ways the occupations are similar and ways they’re different. The similarities may be trickier and your kids may need a little help with it to think outside the box. For instance, how are a pilot and a veterinarian alike? They both require a lot of training!

For younger children, try cards with the vehicles, and compare/contrast the vehicles such as bulldozers, police cars, airplanes, or firetrucks.

My Pronouns and Plurals, Dress me Community Helpers pack (check it out below) has cards perfect for this activity

7. Job interview.

Have kids pretend to interview for a job. Talk about what to do and what not to do. This is a great social skills lesson too!

8. Career Taboo Game

I love this idea for Career Day from Miss Sepp’s Counselor Corner. Students are divided into 2 teams, which take turns drawing a card that contains a career and two “hush” words. The student who drew the card must describe the career to his/her teammates so they can guess the occupation… but without using the “hush” words! For instance, for “Florist” the hush words are “flowers” and “arrange.” The post includes a file to download the Career Taboo cards. Fun for upper elementary!

Many of these activities are great for your Community Helpers theme too!

If you need more hands-on activities for your preschoolers and kindergarteners, my Pronouns and Plurals, Dress me Community Helpers activity will get your littles excited to participate!

Put the cutout “helpers, clothes, and equipment out on a cookie sheet. Your littles get to dress the people as different helpers as you practice pronouns, naming the helpers and their equipment, and more. I’ve included cards for games and plenty of printables to practice a variety of syntax targets with your community helpers theme.

There’s a diverse selection of 8 different people children can choose from, helping them find someone who looks like them!

Pronoun, plurals, and WH questions mats and worksheets are included to give you tons of versatility in targeting syntax, wh questions, sentence structure, and community helpers vocabulary.

I hope these Career Day ideas for elementary school get you excited about planning for this theme!

Career day and community helpers are one of the highlights of the year for many kids. I hope you love it too. I also know planning for this theme can be time-intensive, so if you need a fantastic, versatile activity that’s print-and-go or even digital, Career Bingo Riddles is your winner.

Like all my best-selling Bingo Riddles games, Career Bingo Riddles has rhyming clues, which make the game seriously fun! Kids listen to the clues, then guess who the community helper is. It’s a perfect idea for career day from kindergarten through 5th, and it’s easy to level the game for different learners.

With 30 different boards, you can use it with an entire class, put it in a center, or play it in speech therapy. I’ve included a digital version to play with Google Slides™ that’s terrific for virtual instruction and teletherapy.

Happy educators said:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great resource to reinforce my community helpers unit. The students loved listening to the clues and trying to figure out who the individual being described was. Very interactive and motivating.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ This was a great career day activity for our campus! I had it ready should one of our speakers for stations not show up – and that did happen! The kids enjoyed the game.

Check out Career Bingo Riddles right here in my website shop or on Teachers Pay Teachers ,

If you’re a Bingo Riddles fan, you can find many more seasonal and holiday Bingo Riddles games in my shop. (Bingo Riddles are kinda like potato chips. You can’t stop at just one!)

Happy career day everyone!

• Read more about: Language , Themes

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55 Career Day Ideas, Tips, and Activities for All Ages

Encourage kids to consider a wide variety of careers for the future.

School career days give kids a peek into their futures, with the opportunity to learn about all the job fields and opportunities available to them. These career day ideas include options for preschool, elementary, middle, and high school. We’ve also got tips for making your event truly meaningful for everyone involved!

General Career Day Tips

Preschool career activities, elementary school career day ideas, middle and high school career day ideas.

Keep activities age-appropriate

Younger students should be encouraged to explore through play, while tweens and teens are ready for a more detailed look at what various careers entail.

Invite families to participate

Chances are good that you can find someone working in just about any career you can imagine among the parents and families of your own students.

Engage with the community

People love the chance to share their careers with the next generation. Reach out to local businesses and organizations and offer them the opportunity to participate.

Include as many career fields as possible

Think big! You want to help students see that there are good jobs to fit any interest and skill set, including those that don’t necessarily require a four-year college education.

Vary your career day activities

Provide ways for all students to engage, whether they prefer to listen to others speak or actually try some hands-on experience. Keep students moving throughout the day by offering activities and speakers in multiple locations.

Start small and expand over time

If it’s your first career day, it’s OK to keep it simple. After a few years, you’ll build up a collection of regular speakers, activities, and more career day ideas.

Gauge interest

Let students request or suggest specific speakers, career field representatives, or activities they’d like to see, and accommodate them if you can.

Prepare participants

Work with speakers and other participants in advance to help them plan their presentations or activities. Make sure their plans are age-appropriate and meaningful. ADVERTISEMENT

Think beyond a day

As kids get older, the chance to explore a variety of careers becomes even more important. Consider dedicating one day each month to a career activity, setting up a speaker series , or trying independent career exploration projects.

Follow up afterward

Career days can help students make connections with people in careers that interest them. Encourage students to build on those connections after the official career day has ended. Younger students can help maintain community connections by writing thank-you notes to participants.

At this age, kids should be encouraged to learn through play as much as possible. Give them lots of opportunities to explore a wide array of different occupations with activities like these.

Little ones love to dress up! Provide them with lots of career-themed outfits and accessories, and encourage all kids to try on every kind of career for size.

Imaginative play

Whether they’re in costume or not, kids can pretend to be lots of different workers. Give them an array of career-themed toys and equipment, and provide every child a chance to try anything that interests them.

Career centers

Add career-themed play centers to your classroom, like kitchens, fire stations, post offices, hospitals, vet offices, science labs, and more. Keep the appropriate dress-up clothes and toys for these fields in each center for kids to experiment with.

Field trips

Pre-K is a great time to visit all sorts of workplaces. Ask parents and families if your class would be welcome for a tour, and work with community partners to find more career-themed field trip opportunities for students.

Career story time

Rather than just asking people to come talk to your class about their jobs, invite them to do read-alouds instead! Find a book related to their job in some way for story time, then let students ask questions afterward. If you do this virtually, people can participate from their workplaces and take kids on a virtual tour too.

Students can explore jobs a bit more in-depth at this age, as well as learning some basic career-readiness skills. Try these ideas for elementary school career day.

Dress-up day

This is a career day classic! Students dress up as what they think they might like to be when they grow up. (Tip: Have teachers dress up as what they imagined they might do for a living when they were young!)

Career parade

Once everyone is all dressed up, hold a grand parade around the school or playground. Offer prizes for the best costumes, presented by representatives of local companies or organizations.

Parent/family job day

This is another longtime favorite: Parents and family members visit the classroom to share a little about what they do in their daily jobs.

If you’d like to expand your career day into more events, try theming them by field. For instance, you could have a day for STEM careers, one for skilled trades, one for business careers, etc.

Virtual field trips

You can visit many more locations and see a wider array of career fields when you do it virtually. Set up videoconference time with various people, and let them take you on a tour and introduce you to the people they work with every day. Allow some time at the end for Q&A.

Career stations

Set up different rooms or booths with information, activities, outfits, speakers, and more for individual careers or fields. Kids can circulate among them, with the opportunity to spend extra time at stations that interest them the most.

Career scavenger hunt

As kids explore career stations, provide a scavenger hunt to encourage them to engage more deeply with the activities. Examples: “List three tools a carpenter uses” or “How many years of college does it take to become a doctor?”

Career library

Set aside a selection of books about different careers, and let each student pick one they want to read and report back on. ( Get ideas for creative book reports here. )

Let STEM-related workers give demonstrations of what they do in their jobs, from coding demos and engineering challenges to lab experiments and animal interactions.

Career skits

Take imaginative career play to the next level by asking kids to write and perform simple skits set in different workplaces. They can play out a normal workday or show a worker tackling a special challenge or task.

Go-to-work day

This takes some coordination, but it’s a cool way to really immerse kids in careers. Think of it like “Take Your Child to Work Day,” but kids aren’t limited to only visiting their parents’ jobs. Instead, a group of kids signs up to visit various participating businesses, and each is partnered with an employee for an hour or two to tour the facility and learn more about what happens there.

Career crafts

Paper firefighter hats, DIY stethoscopes, worker finger puppets … there are lots of fun crafts kids can make and take home as they learn about different jobs and career fields.

Career day booklets

Give each student a blank booklet of eight pages or so. On each page, encourage them to illustrate and take notes about one career that really interests them. They’ll each go home with an individualized resource for talking to their families about possible jobs for the future.

Lunch with a …

When it’s time for lunch, set up a room or table for each career and let kids sign up to eat with people from that field. They can chat informally while they dine, sharing stories and asking questions in a naturally comfortable environment.

Career bulletin boards

Create bulletin boards themed by career or field throughout the building. Let each class work together to create their own, then take a tour to check out the whole collection.

Career posters

Let each student choose a career they’d like to learn more about, then have them create posters showing what they find out. Display the posters in school hallways, and let kids stand nearby to answer questions about the job on which they’ve become an expert.

My first resume

Introduce kids to the basic idea of what a resume is, then help them write their own. Of course, at this age they don’t have specific job experience. However, they can list their experiences doing chores at home or at school, plus any special skills they have. It can be fun to watch them create titles for themselves like “Dog Walker” or “Bedroom Cleaner”!

Equipment displays

Invite businesses to bring in equipment big and small, from fire trucks, construction equipment, and portable X-ray machines to medical supplies, building tools, and cooking implements. Kids will love getting a closer look at these tools of the trade.

Personal career collage

After kids have a chance to learn more about all the jobs available to them, have them assemble a collage that shows the occupations they’d most like to try someday. They can cut out pics from magazines, or work online to collect digital images or videos for a virtual version.

Career day pledge

At the end of the day, invite each student to sign a Career Day Pledge, in which they promise to stay in school and prepare themselves to succeed at any job their future holds.

Now’s the time to really get into the nitty-gritty of what careers entail and what it takes to work in specific fields. The more opportunities for career exploration you can offer teens, the better. These ideas and activities make the most of their time dedicated to learning about careers and employment in general.

Career fair

The classic career fair takes a bit of logistical planning, but it can actually be among the easier career day ideas. Most businesses and organizations already have materials ready to go for career and recruitment fairs, so offer them a place to set up their tables and booths and encourage them to tailor their overall presentation to students.

Sometimes a job sounds good in theory, but when we actually see what it entails on a day-to-day basis, it’s not quite what we had in mind. That’s why job shadowing is such a good idea. Today’s technology makes things easier than ever before too. If you can’t get kids to workplaces in person, they can connect via video chat to spend a few hours with employees instead.

Wheel of careers

This is a fun activity you can do during career day or as preparation for the event. Kids “spin the wheel” to learn more about a selection of careers from every kind of field. It’s a great way to encourage them to consider jobs they might not have thought about before. Find the Wheel of Careers activity here.

Career cluster rooms

Clustering various careers together in one space makes sense and helps give some structure to your activities. Students will have an easier time finding the jobs they want to investigate, and you’ll keep people spread out into more manageable groups too.

Career groups by interest

Another way to group careers is by the skills and interests they involve. Set up stations for sports-based careers, math-based jobs, jobs for those who love to write, occupations for people who like to use their hands, etc. Label them “If You Like ________, Try These Jobs!”

Career panel

Arrange for panels of speakers related to specific careers. Each can give a short introduction to their job, then they can talk about their work among themselves as well as taking questions from students. This gives kids an excellent chance to compare opportunities in related fields.

Entrepreneur showcase

Those who want to go into business for themselves will love getting to talk with local business owners, start-ups, and other entrepreneurs. They’ll get a clearer picture of the benefits and challenges of being a business owner, and they can present some of their ideas to those who can give them tips and advice.

Don’t forget to include your area’s career and technical education programs as you assemble your career day ideas! They’re among the best resources you have for presenting quality jobs to kids, especially those in the skilled trades, health care, service and hospitality industries, and other positions students can start preparing for while they’re still in high school.

Student-led interviews

Let students find out what they really want to know by putting them front and center with speakers. Help them compile a list of questions in advance, then interview career representatives to investigate their jobs. Consider recording these interviews so students can check out as many of them as they want to after career day is over.

Hands-on experiences

Trying something for yourself is a meaningful way to see it’s something you really like. Ask businesses and organizations to set up hands-on experiences. Maybe kids can try their hand at cutting hair on a model head, examining a “patient,” using construction tools to build something simple, etc. These encounters will be incredibly popular!

Community service

Volunteer at organizations like nursing homes, after-school education programs, food pantries, and other community services. It’s a good look at the nonprofit world and also lets kids try out some of the roles that need to be filled at these valuable workplaces.

Career-themed competitions

Have a cook-off or bake-off, host a debate, set an engineering challenge, hold an art or writing contest … kids probably already have a lot of the skills they’ll need to do the jobs that interest them most! Interactive career day ideas like this really help build interest and engagement.

Career interest inventory

There are many career interest inventory tests and worksheets teens can complete to find out what they’re best suited for. Use these as the kick-off to your day, or in the preparation and planning stages so students can decide what they want to investigate more thoroughly on the day itself.

Resume workshop

As juniors and seniors start looking for summer jobs and internships, they’ll value the chance to learn what a good resume looks like and how to build their own. Bring in professional experts to advise them, but be sure they’re up-to-date on the newest trends . Resumes have changed a lot in the last couple of decades.

Mock interviews

Interviewing for a job can be stressful, and many people don’t get any experience until they’re sitting in front of a hiring committee for the first time. Mock interviews with real hiring managers give students a low-stakes chance to see what the experience is really like and polish their interpersonal skills.

Professional skills workshops

One of the biggest complaints many people have about employees first entering the working world is that they don’t understand professional norms. Workplaces are very different from school, and we can’t expect kids to automatically know professional behavior. Instead, provide workshops where they can learn things like professional writing and communication, workplace attire and behavior, and their rights and responsibilities as future employees.

Where are they now?

Highlight graduates from your school by sharing what they do now. Be sure to include representatives from a variety of fields so kids can see that those who’ve walked the same halls are now working as everything from teachers and lawyers to welders, stockbrokers, and more!

Alumni networking

Even better, invite some of those alumni to visit or even become mentors to current students. As adults know, finding a good job is often very much about who you know, so help older teens start to establish their professional network now.

Post–career day follow-ups

Teach students the importance of following up with contacts by having them write thank-you notes to someone they met who made an impact on career day. Review these notes for professional language and help kids compose them, then send them off so members of the community know they really did make a difference.

Career resources guide

Put together a guide students can use as they explore their future options. Include websites, college and career prep tips, and more. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has some terrific resources to help you get started.

What are your school’s best career day ideas? Come share your tips and ask for advice in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

Plus, important life skills every teen should learn ..

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For Teachers

Career day ideas for every grade level, elementary school career day ideas, pre-career day activities, activities for the day and beyond, middle and high school career day ideas, about the author, peter brown.

10+ Unique career day ideas that inspire students

• Expanding career awareness: Students learn about unique career day ideas like game design and special effects, expanding their career possibilities.
• Real-world insights: Professionals share firsthand experiences, inspiring students to consider diverse career options.
• Academic motivation: Understanding career paths helps students focus their studies, boosting motivation and performance.
• Networking opportunities: Career Day facilitates networking, leading to potential internships or job shadowing.
• Breaking stereotypes: Features professionals from diverse backgrounds, challenging traditional career stereotypes.
• Inspiration and empowerment: Success stories from relatable speakers motivate students to pursue higher education and ambitious careers.
• Interactive and engaging: Activities like simulations and hands-on learning make Career Day dynamic and memorable.

Planning a Career Day? It’s more than just an event—it’s a chance to spark students’ curiosity and open doors to new possibilities. 

As a school event planner, you have the unique opportunity to turn Career Day into a dynamic experience that goes beyond the typical career talks. 

From interactive simulations to real-world problem-solving, these unique career day ideas not only inform but inspire students to envision their future careers with excitement. 

Ready to create a Career Day that truly stands out? Let’s dive into some fresh, impactful ideas!

Benefits of Career Day ideas for students and parents

Table of contents

• 1 Benefits of Career Day ideas for students and parents
• 2.1 Engaging students with real-world simulations
• 2.2 Experiential learning through role-playing
• 2.3 Interactive and immersive activities
• 3.1 Engaging through narrative: The power of career storytelling
• 4.1 Engaging directly with experts: Q&A panels with professionals
• 5.1 Hands-on learning opportunities
• 6.1 Engaging young minds with simple and fun activities
• 6.2 Interactive workshops and exhibits
• 6.3 Community and family involvement
• 6.4 Pre and post-career day activities
• 7.1 Broadening access and engagement
• 7.2 Enhancing reach and efficiency
• 8 The takeaways 

Career day ideas can be a game-changer for students—it opens their eyes to a world of possibilities. Here’s a quick look at what makes it so cool:

• Discover new careers: Ever thought about designing video games or creating special effects for movies? Career Day introduces you to awesome jobs beyond the usual suspects like doctors or teachers.
• Real talk from pros: Imagine a graphic designer sharing tales of crafting ads for famous brands. It’s stories like these that can nudge you towards a career you might never have considered.
• Plan your studies: Knowing you want to be a vet means zeroing in on science classes now, not later. Stats reveal that students with clear career goals are more motivated and perform better academically.
• Network like a boss: It’s not just about listening; it’s about chatting, networking, and maybe even landing an internship. One chat could lead you to shadow a dentist for a day!
• Break stereotypes: A female engineer or a male nurse talking about their jobs? That’s how stereotypes get smashed, showing everyone that they can succeed in any field they choose.
• Get inspired: There’s nothing like hearing from someone who made it big after being the first in their family to go to college. It’s the perfect motivation boost!

These Career Day ideas aren’t just fun—it’s a stepping stone to figuring out your future. Who knows? The next career you get excited about might just be the one you end up pursuing!

Role-playing and simulation career day ideas 

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Role-playing and simulation career day ideas offer a dynamic approach to career day events. These activities are designed to be both educational and engaging. They provide students with a hands-on experience that enhances their understanding of different careers.

Engaging students with real-world simulations

• Mock Interviews : Students participate in simulated job interviews. They receive immediate feedback to improve their communication skills.
• Career Scenario Cards : Through role-playing, students navigate challenging workplace scenarios. This enhances their problem-solving abilities.

Experiential learning through role-playing

• Career building blocks : Utilizing a Jenga-like game, questions related to job interviews and work scenarios are discussed. This is great for promoting critical thinking.
• Job shadowing : Students spend a day with professionals in their workplaces. There they gain insights into daily tasks and workplace culture.

Interactive and immersive activities

• Dress-up day : Students and parents come dressed as professionals from various fields. This fosters a fun and educational environment.
• Career speed dating : A fast-paced activity where students meet professionals from various sectors for quick and informative discussions.

P.S. These Career Day ideas don’t have to be expensive. You can learn hot tips on making savings on your event budget here! 

Career storytelling session career day ideas 

Engaging through narrative: The power of career storytelling

Career storytelling sessions are a cornerstone of effective career day ideas. They leverage the natural human affinity for stories to foster deep learning and personal connection. 

• Creating relatable experiences : Presenters use personal anecdotes and props to bring their stories to life. This makes complex career paths accessible and engaging. It’s an approach that helps students visualize themselves in similar roles.
• Building a supportive environment : By sharing personal challenges and how they overcame them, speakers contribute to a sense of community and belonging among students. This environment encourages students to ask questions and engage deeply. It creates a safe space that values open communication and emotional support.
• Enhancing learning through empathy : Stories naturally elicit empathy, allowing students to step into the shoes of professionals and understand the emotional landscape of different career paths. This emotional engagement is crucial in helping students absorb and retain information.
• Interactive elements : To make sessions interactive, storytellers encourage student participation through Q&A segments, role-reversal exercises where students share how they would handle certain professional situations, and group discussions that allow peers to exchange thoughts and learn from each other.
• Utilizing technology : For virtual career days, online tools like VoiceThread or dedicated forums can be used to share stories. These platforms offer an asynchronous way to engage students, allowing them to interact with the content at their own pace and revisit stories that struck a chord.

You can bring these events to life with our guide to  mastering in-person events.

And you can get inspiration and Career Day ideas from the Outdoor Writers Association of America. See how they utilize outdoor storytelling as part of their annual conference!

Q&A panels with professionals: Career day ideas 

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Engaging directly with experts: Q&A panels with professionals

Q&A panels are Career Day ideas that are structured to foster an interactive atmosphere where students have the unique opportunity to engage directly with professionals from various fields. 

• Preparation and participation : Students must come prepared, having researched the professionals and their careers. This preparation ensures that the questions asked are insightful and that the discussion is fruitful.
• Diverse panel composition : Panels can be either general, covering a mix of career areas, or focused on specific fields, depending on the interests and needs of the students. This flexibility allows the session to be tailored to provide the most value.
• Role of educators and organizers : The success of a Q&A panel relies on the coordinated efforts of school administrators, teachers, and the career panel coordinator. They play a critical role in organizing the event, from logistics to ensuring that the panel is diverse and informative.
• Feedback for future improvements : Post-event evaluations are essential, with teachers, students, and speakers all expected to provide feedback. This input is invaluable for refining future panels to better meet the educational goals of the students.
• Incorporating technology : For schools opting for virtual career days, technology plays a pivotal role. Tools like video conferencing can bring these Q&A panels to students remotely. This ensures that no student misses out on the opportunity to interact with potential role models.

Hands-on learning career day ideas 

Hands-on learning opportunities.

Career Day can transform from a passive event to a dynamic experience through hands-on learning opportunities. 

• Career stations setup : Create various stations each dedicated to different career paths. For example, a science station might include simple experiments, whereas a journalism station could have students draft news reports.
• Real-world experiences : Arrange for professionals to facilitate workshops. This could range from basic coding sessions in a tech career station to mock trial exercises at a law career station.
• Interactive career fair : Incorporate a career fair where students can circulate between booths, engaging with college representatives. This helps them understand the link between academic choices and career outcomes.
• Capstone projects : Introduce capstone projects that challenge students to create a business plan, design a product, or develop a media publication. These projects can be showcased at the end of Career Day. This provides a sense of accomplishment and a practical understanding of various professional skills.
• Work-based learning opportunities : Offer sessions on part-time jobs, internships, or volunteer work that relates to student’s career interests. This could include interactions with local businesses or community services, giving a firsthand look at the world of work.

Interactive career day ideas to inspire students

Career Day is an exciting opportunity to inspire students through engaging and interactive activities. 

Engaging young minds with simple and fun activities

• Career bingo : This game introduces younger students to different professions in a fun and interactive way.
• Play “Name That Jingle” : A game where students guess the profession based on popular jingles or themed music, making the learning process enjoyable.
• Dress-up and role play : Encourage students to dress as their favorite professional or bring a small prop related to a career they admire.

Interactive workshops and exhibits

• Skill workshops : Set up stations where students can participate in activities like coding puzzles for tech careers or mock trials for law-oriented paths.
• Interactive exhibits : Companies can set up booths showcasing their work, engaging students with hands-on activities or demos, and distributing company merchandise or giveaways.

Community and family involvement

• Seasonal vocational parade : Organize a parade where students showcase costumes and props related to various careers, involving families and the community.
• Career scavenger hunt : A scavenger hunt around the school or community to learn about different careers, which helps students connect the dots between their interests and potential career paths.

Pre and post-career day activities

• Pre-career day resume writing : Have students prepare their first resume, focusing on skills and interests, to discuss during Career Day.
• Post-career day reflection : Students create a booklet summarizing what they learned about each profession, including necessary skills and personal reflections on their interests.

Career day ideas that are supercharged with event technology

How to Create an Event Schedule that Will WOW Your Attendees from Sched Support on Vimeo .

• Engagement Through AI: Sched utilizes AI to generate enticing session titles and optimize descriptions, making each session sound irresistible. It attracts interest and ensures sessions are clearly communicated
• Book the most exciting speakers: Sched’s Call for Papers is an easy-to-use tool that attracts top industry professionals. It simplifies submissions with customized questions, all while maintaining your school’s brand identity.

Broadening access and engagement

• On-demand resources : Students can access presentations and resources at their convenience. This flexibility is crucial in accommodating different learning styles and schedules.
• Interactive features : Incorporate gamification, real-time job applications, and private chat rooms to make the virtual career day more engaging. These features make the event fun and mimic the dynamic environment of physical career fairs.

Enhancing reach and efficiency

• Streamlined scheduling: Sched’s event software streamlines the organization of Career Day, seamlessly scheduling sessions and managing speaker timelines to ensure a smooth, well-coordinated event.
• Global access : Virtual career days eliminate geographical limitations, enabling connections with professionals and companies around the world. This global reach is particularly beneficial for students in remote areas or those looking to explore international career opportunities.
• Cost-effectiveness : By moving career days online, schools and organizations can reduce the logistical costs associated with physical events. This budget-friendly approach allows for the allocation of resources to other educational purposes.

The takeaways 

Well there you have it! We hope you’re buzzing with amazing career day ideas.

Today we’ve explored awesome career day ideas, from storytelling, interactive experiences, and more.

Plus, we’ve also shown you how you can utilize event software to take your career days to the next level! So  try Sched for free to reap the benefits for yourself!

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Educational events for college students: Discover awesome event ideas that boost student satisfaction! Practical Skill Development: Through targeted workshops on resume writing, interview techniques, and other professional skills. Interactive and Engaging Learning Methods: Events like TEDx talks and practical workshops engage students in active learning, improving their communication, and problem-solving abilities, and making education a…

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How to Host a Career Day at Your School

Are you planning to host a career day or planning for a career week for your school? It is a great experience to have students think beyond the four walls of their classroom, and it brings the real world into the classroom and helps students begin to think about their futures. 

Out of all of the events I have planned, career day was one of my favourites.

I have outlined the general steps for teachers who want to host a career day below and the process my school followed.

How To Host A Career Day

Career day planning steps.

It’s easy to host a career day when you have the steps laid out for you. Here are the steps I follow when I host a career day:

• Create a career day planning committee.
• Think about the purpose of this event, e.g. community building, career awareness, curriculum-real-life connections.
• Decide which grades will take part. I teach at a Kindergarten to Grade 8, so we decided that Grades 4 through 8 would participate.
• Where will the event be held?  What day will the event occur? If you have a space to host the event on one day, then you may consider hosting the event all on one day. We decided to host it over several days to not have to cancel gym classes.
• Send a digital or paper survey to the school and staff community asking for volunteer presenters. Set a deadline for submissions. We put parameters around the types of careers we wanted to present – the careers needed to align with our grade-level Social Studies, Health, or Science curriculum. We wanted students to see a direct link between what they learn in the classroom and real life.  
• Gather the committee together to review the career day presenter submissions. Sort the presenters into categories. Divide up who will contact each presenter. We divided it up by grade level. Each teacher volunteered to contact five presenters via email.
• Once you have finalized which presenters are available to present, create a presentation schedule and send out formal invitations with details to the presenters (15 minutes for presentations, 10 minutes for presentations, 5 minutes for questions) and 5 minutes for transitions between sessions. We had the presenters set up in classrooms, and the classes rotated through each presentation. This was easier for the presenters, so they did not have to travel from room to room with all their items.
• Send along possible sample questions they can discuss. Also, encourage them to bring tangible items and/or photos related to their careers to show the students.
• Plan out a thank you gift for the presenters. We gifted the presenters with a school-branded coffee mug. There are a lot of great, cost-effective DIY thank-you ideas on Pinterest.
• Select students in each session to formally welcome and thank each presenter.
• Set up a refreshments area for the presenters to get coffee, tea, juice, or cookies and a place for them to store their outdoor apparel.

Host A Career Day – Virtually!

If your school cannot put on a full in-person career day, modify the event to be virtual. Use Google Meet, Microsoft Teams or Zoom to host your career day speakers via video chat. You might be able to get more students to see each presentation as the feedback might be able to be broadcast into multiple classrooms at once, depending on the tech setup. You need to think outside the box to host a career day virtually – but it can happen!

Career Day Presenter Sample Questions 

When you host a career day, ask the presenters to align their presentations to the sample questions you provide to ensure the presentation is focused and relevant to your students.

• What is your job title?
• What are the duties and responsibilities of your job?
• How many hours per day or week do you work? Do you work shifts?
• Can you tell me about your background and how you got into this field?
• What do you like the most/least about your work?
• What education or training is needed for this occupation?
• What personal characteristics are required for someone to be successful in this job?
• Is there a steady demand for workers in this field? How much job security is there?
• What should people do to get started in this career? (i.e. experience, training, education)
• How might this job change in the future?

After you host a career day, try this Career Research Project

Career education is very important. Don’t stop the education once you host a career day!

Help your students think purposely about their futures with this Career Exploration and Research Project . Students will get excited about career research by taking an online career quiz and then brainstorming possible career choices. Then, they will follow a guided assignment process – brainstorming, research, career poster creation, and oral presentation with scheduled check-ins throughout the process to ensure project completion.

What teachers are saying: 

“This is probably one of the best resources I have ever purchased! This project was perfect for my 7th graders to keep them engaged and help them to feel successful in research. Research can be a BEAR, and this made it SO MUCH FUN! So thankful I came across this!” – Caroline B. “WOW! This unit, like the others from this seller, moved the students along with built in scaffolds and purpose. It was also easy to leave for a sub.” – Rebecca C.

You can find the Career Exploration and Research Project on Teachers Pay Teachers USD and Shopify CAD .

Cover Letter and Resume Writing Unit Career Lessons

Are you looking to effectively teach your middle schoolers cover letter and resume writing? After you host a career day, try out this engaging approach: Students step into the shoes of hiring managers, gaining writing skills while making informed hiring choices. They’ll assess various applications, gaining insights, before crafting their own materials. These lessons are designed for all learners with QR codes, group activities, and a dynamic hiring simulation, ensuring active participation throughout the unit.

Unit Outline:

• Introduction – Job Vocabulary QR Code Activity & Examining Cover Letters and Resumes
• Lesson 1 – How to Write a Cover Letter
• Lesson 2 – How to Write a Resume
• Lesson 3 – How to Write a Brag Sheet

“Very thorough unit! This resource had everything I needed to teach the skills for resume writing and job searches. Thank you!” – Jennifer P. “As with all of your resources, this one was easy to use, required very little prep on my part and the students were very engaged in the lessons. It is well laid out and follows a plan that is logical. We have enjoyed using this.” – Christine K.

You can find this Cover Letter and Resume Writing Unit Career Lessons on Teachers Pay Teachers USD and Shopify CAD .

After you host a career day, both of these assignments are a fantastic follow-up.

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Host a Career Day

Host a Career Day Ever heard a student whine, “How will I ever use this in the real world?” Let’s show them, by creating a “Career Day,” in which we help students understand the curriculum as it relates to specific, real-life job opportunities and a rewarding future.

Many schools host school-wide career fairs, which are major events and require careful planning. We salute those efforts, and this article includes tips and resources for taking on the challenge. However, even a small-scale, single-classroom career event can change the course of a student’s life, and renew their enthusiasm for education.

Never Too Early Don’t wait until high school! Children of all ages should be given the opportunity to start thinking about their future. A career day at any age will broaden your students’ perspectives and further motivate them to pursue productive careers.

Presenters Ideally your event will offer the authenticity of professionals from the local community. Parents are an obvious resource, but businesses and community leaders are often glad to participate, as well.  There may even be community resources to link you with presenters, such as the Connection Resource Bank in Rockville, Maryland.

The best presenters have deep job experience and passion for their work. Their objectives are to provide kids with a relatable link to the real world, hands-on expertise, and concrete examples of how academics relate to future educational and occupational opportunities.

Don’t hesitate to give presenters specific instructions. Ask them to explain how and why they chose their profession, what schooling or training was required, and what academic skills they use in their job. Give them ideas for making their presentation memorable and hands-on. Here are some ideas from Chron.com , as well as a few of our own:

• Law enforcement – arrive with lights flashing and sirens blaring
• Banking – bring a change counter or a stack of $100 bills
• Medicine – bring skeletons or surgical tools
• Radio – air a segment of the event live over the air
• Art/Design – make sketches of the kids or teachers
• Engineering – write computer code on the board; bring mechanical drawings of a project in the works, or a prototype of the product/building you’re designing

Chron also suggested getting a pilot (or airborne news crew) to land a helicopter in the school playground. Might be a challenge, but it would be awesome if you could pull it off!

Tip : Invite twice as many presenters as you need. Many professionals find it difficult to take time off from work.

If presenters are simply unavailable, scale down your event, but don’t abandon it! Find out which careers your students are most interested in, research them, and then prepare your own presentations. Use videos and movies (YouTube can be a great resource!), as well as any hands-on tools available.

General Planning Tips These guidelines can help you plan a successful career event, for any grade level:

• When scheduling, avoid holidays, test dates and high-stress times. 
• Gain participation from as many other teachers/administrators as possible (in addition to multiple presenters).
• Know your audience and target accordingly. Start with a survey to better understand students’ current interests. Help your presenters create presentations that are age-appropriate.
• Cover as many fields as possible. Many of your students don’t truly know what career path they want. Introduce them to new ideas, and think outside the box. Kids are always fascinated by unique jobs.
• Include jobs that may not require four-year degrees. Kids may feel encouraged to know that technical schools and training programs can also lead to rewarding careers.
• For careers requiring college degrees, include information about relevant course work and college majors.
• Stress the basic academic skills that are helpful in almost any career. For example, good grammar goes a long way in business, and is critical in advanced fields like law. Math and science skills are necessary for most of today’s fastest-growing fields, such as high-tech.
• Keep each presentation short – 15 minutes is good. Add in time for Q&A.
• Express a personal interest in the material. Your enthusiasm will be catching.

Want more specifics? Here’s a terrific step-by-step resource for planning your own successful Career Day.

Share your ideas in our comment section. If you have video of a career event at your school, or any supporting materials, we’d love to see those, too! You can submit multimedia of all kinds here .

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• How to Crush your Elementary School Career Day Presentation

  Posted on July 2, 2018 By Jeff Perkins

If you like this blog post, make sure to check out Jeff’s book, How Not to Suck at Marketing

I recently had the opportunity to speak at Career Day at the school where my kids go – Heards Ferry Elementary School in Sandy Springs, GA. I spoke to 100+ fourth graders about a career in marketing.

Heards Ferry Elementary School

Now, I’ve given presentations in front of some very large audiences in recent years.  But this was by far the most nerve wracking public speaking experience I’ve ever had.

When I’m speaking in front of a room of marketers or executives, I know the audience.  I know how to talk to them.  I know what kinds of jokes they’ll laugh at.  I know how to structure a presentation that will provide real value.

This was different.  I had to explain my job to 4 th graders.  And that’s not nearly as easy as it seems.  I once asked my kids the question: “What does Daddy do for a living?” You can see their answer in the video below.

As the presentation day got closer, I kept thinking about that scene in City Slickers where Billy Crystal is presenting at  career day at his son’s school and realizes his life basically has no meaning, which ultimately pushes him into a mid-life crisis. I really didn’t want that to happen to me.

So, I spent a few days outlining what I wanted to say about marketing. Then I built some simple slides to make my points. The presentation ended up going very well.  Actually, much better than I had thought it would.  In the end, the whole experience turned out to be really fun.

So if you get “volun-told” that you are presenting at you kid’s next Career Day, here are some tips that should help you survive.

1) Keep it Simple Stupid

Marketers can be pretty sophisticated in the way we think and talk. I mean, we are one of the few groups of professionals that can speak in complete sentences using only acronyms (SEO, SEM, PPC, CPM, ABM, SQL, MQL, CRM, etc.)! When you are presenting to kids, you have to strip all of that noise out. You can’t talk about the 3 C’s, 4 P’s or Porter’s Five Forces. You have to come up with the simplest possible definition of what you do.

Here’s an example of what NOT to say to a room of 4 th graders:

“I spend my day optimizing digital ad campaigns to ensure we are hitting our KPIs and the company is generating a strong ROI on our marketing investments.”

Here’s what I said to the kids:

“I help people learn about cool new products so they want to buy them or they ask their Mom and Dad to buy it for them.”

When I said that, the kids immediately got it. One kid asked, “So you do the ads we see on TV?”  Exactly!

Below you can see the slides that I presented to the kids. They’re super simple and helped reinforce the key points I was making to the class.

  2) Make it Relevant to Their World

Rainbow Unicorn Slime

To explain how to do marketing, I used a product example that almost every kid in the class could relate to: SLIME! My kids are totally obsessed with slime, and it turns out they aren’t the only ones.  Just saying the word “slime” got every kid in the class excited.  So, I poised this question to the kids:

Imagine that you invented the best rainbow unicorn slime ever. How would you get people to buy it?

Then we talked about how you could create a marketing campaign for that slime.  I told them that they have to ask 4 simple questions:

• Who am I selling the slime to?
• What’s my message about the slime?
• Where can I reach them?
• How do I get them to remember?

The kids had some great answers to all of these questions, especially about the messaging. A few of the kids came up with their own jingles for this special rainbow unicorn slime right on the spot.  They were really getting the idea.

3) Get the Kids Involved

An interesting thing I noticed is that 4 th graders raise their hands, even if they have no clue what they want to say.  They just hold their hand up high and often use the other hand to reinforce it.  Multiple times in the class I called on a kid who’s hand was raised, only to have him or her give me a blank stare, and then mumble “I forgot.” But, that’s not a bad thing.  These kids wanted to participate.  They wanted to be part of the discussion.  And, they made some really great points.  Now, as the speaker, you have to control the room.  In a 4 th grade class, there’s a fine line between participation and pandemonium.  But, letting the kids talk ended up being a great thing for the presentation and kept everyone engaged.

4) Show Fun Examples of Work

I played the kids a bunch of TV ads to demonstrate ways you can sell your product, including some classics from the past:

• Life Cereal: “Mikey Likes It”
• Toys R Us: “I’m a Toys R Us Kid”
• Coca-Cola: “I’d Like to Give the World a Coke”
• Reeses Peanut Butter Cups: “You put your chocolate in my peanut butter”

I also showed them more current ads for Sour Patch Kids, Doritos and M&Ms.  We watched the ads and had a great discussion about what the key messages were. I asked the kids which ad they liked best, and the majority said the Doritos ad.  These kids just don’t appreciate the classics!

If you’re interested, you can watch the playlist below with all the ads I played for the class.

5) Gamify It

After the TV ads, we played a game I called “Name That Jingle”.  I played them the music from a well-known jingle and they had to tell me the brand.  This helped me make the point that that marketers want you to remember their product.  One way to do that is to come up with a catchy jingle that gets stuck in your head. I was impressed that these kids knew almost every jingle I played, including State Farm, Nationwide and Farmers. It does beg a question: why do insurance companies have the best jingles?

Listen to the jingles below and see if you can guess the brand.

6) Bring a lot of swag

Of course, you cannot show up at career day empty handed.  You have to bring some swag from your company.  I brought a ton of ParkMobile stuff – koozies, lanyards, cups, pens, notebooks, etc., and these kids cleared me out.   I also brought some “premium items”, hats and shirts that I gave to the kids who gave me the best answers.  But, the kids were just as excited to get a pen as they were to get a shirt.  So, just bring something for them. They’ll love whatever you give them.  It was pretty funny when my wife came home later that day after volunteering at the school and told me that virtually every kid was running around with ParkMobile swag. It’s like I created an army of mobile billboards!

So that’s my advice for people doing elementary school career day presentations. If you get tapped to do one, don’t be afraid. You’ll be surprised just how much these kids will love it. And you just might have some fun too.

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Showcase Template for PowerPoint

Need a ready-made career day presentation template ? We’ve got just the thing.

You can now focus on what really matters – delivering a superb presentation .

Introducing Showcase – a career day presentation PowerPoint presentation template .

Featuring 30 editable slides , you can easily adjust the presentation to suit your brand.

The best part? It’s 100% niche-specific . Simply add text and images and you’re good to go. Ready to step into the spotlight?

TL;DR : Career Day presentation template. 30 slides, 100% customizable. Edit, export, and wow your audience!

Why get this PowerPoint template:

• 30 unique career day slides
• Easy to edit and export
• 16:9 widescreen format
• User-friendly instructions

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Medical Theme for Career Day

It seems that you like this template, medical theme for career day presentation, free google slides theme, powerpoint template, and canva presentation template.

Medicine is one of the most important professions for humanity because health is essential for any society. We want you to analyze well all the characteristics of this career so that you can decide if it is what you are passionate about. To help you with this, we have designed this beautiful template in blue and orange with beautiful medical illustrations, with which you can introduce the topic, talk about the experience that these professionals require, what they must study to prepare, and the medical specialties that exist. Download it and customize it!

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6 Kid-Cool Stations for a Super-Successful Career Day

• EI Editor   Posted On Jan 19, 2016 | Educational Tips

It’s a brave, new world, and the jobs out there prove it! From Chief Google Doodler to Pet Behavior Consultant, there really is a job to suit every unique skill set. Students love career day, so this year, why not shake things up by supplementing your traditional stations with some surprisingly modern choices? Read on for the supplies and info you’ll need for a super-successful and engaging career day stations in your classroom—and don’t forget to ask parents who do these jobs to help man your stations!

Tried-and-True Kid Favorites – Traditional Career Stations

Doctor/Dentist

A career for kids who are curious about... science and the human body ..

In a nutshell – Doctors and dentists provide medical and dental care to kids and adults, including giving check-ups, prescribing medicine, and treating various medical and dental problems.

Pros and cons – Doctors and dentists get to help people feel better every day and teach people how to take care of themselves and live healthy lives. Developing these skills doesn’t happen overnight! In order to become doctors and dentists, one has to study, and stay in school for a long time.

Props – Doctor’s kit, chair, cot, scrubs, dolls, stuffed animals, plastic skeleton, plastic skull, bandages, wraps, toothbrush, toothpaste, crutches, small flashlight, prescription pad

Activity Ideas – Play the Operation game, dress a doll’s “ wounds” with wraps and bandages, practice proper brushing on a mouth print out or plastic skull, or introduce the basics of CPR.

Police Officer/Firefighter

A career for kids who are curious about... the law and helping others ..

In a nutshell – Police officers and firefighters help protect our community from crimes and are there to help us when we’re in danger.

Pros and cons – Police officers and firefighters are trusted, respected members of our communities, but their jobs can be dangerous and they can get hurt doing them.

Props – Police and fire hats, rubber rain coat, blue button up shirt, gloves, vacuum hose, badges, play phones, walkie talkies, whistle, flashlight, clipboard and pencil, steering wheel

Activity Ideas – Learn to dial 9-1-1 and your home phone on a play phone ( or download our worksheet here! ), make a masking tape intersection and practice crossing with the signals, or introduce fire safety—crouching low and checking door knob temperatures.

A career for kids who are curious about... everything !

In a nutshell – Teachers help students of all ages learn specific things, from the alphabet and phonics to physics and chemistry.

Pros and cons – Teachers take great satisfaction in seeing their students master newskills and concepts, but they must be able to work with all different types of personalities and learning styles.

Props – Mini white boards or chalk boards with white board markers or chalk, pointer, glasses, mug, apple, calculator, books, calendar, map, globe, bell, stickers, stamps and stamp pads, red pen

Activity Ideas – Provide simple matching worksheets that kids can complete and grade (with a red pen, stamps, and stickers, of course!), teach the ABCs and CVC reading with white boards, markers, and magnetic letters, or read books aloud to each other.

Cutting Edge Careers – Modern Day Career Stations

Game or App Programmer

A career for kids who are curious about... technology ..

In a nutshell – Programmers write directions in a variety of computer languages that turn designs created by software developers and engineers into instructions a computer or smart phone can follow.

Pros and cons – Bringing written directions to life on screen is exciting and rewarding, but programming can be tedious, too.

Props – Wooden blocks, pitcher, water, tablet with coding games for kids, like the Foos

Activity Ideas – Play coding board games, play coding tablet games, or pair students in coding challenges with one giving and the other receiving step-by-step directions for a simple task, like building a tower of blocks or filling a pitcher with water, to demonstrate the precision and detail needed for programming.

A career for kids who are curious about... art .

In a nutshell – Animators are artists who draw, paint, sculpt, or design images on the computer that can be put together to show illustrated movement in cartoons, movies, and computer games.

Pros and cons – Animators get to create art and use the computer all day long and their work turns into something really cool but there isn’t much room for growth or change in their jobs.

Props – Blank flip books and markers, plastic overlay sheets cut in quarters and printer paper

Activity Ideas – Provide multi-page, stapled “ flip books” and encourage students to draw a slightly changing scene on each page—then flip to animate or have students draw a scene on a piece of printer paper and a character on a plastic overlay and slide the overlay across the scene to see their character "move".

Organic Farmer

A career for kids who are curious about... science and agriculture ..

In a nutshell – Organic farmers raise fruits, vegetables, and meats without the use of man-made pesticides or herbicides.

Pros and cons – Organic farmers are outside all day, tending to their crops and stock, and take pride in producing healthy and safe foods for their communities, but sometimes things that are out of their control can affect their work, like weather, bugs, and diseases.

Props – Shoebox "crates", plastic fruits and vegetables, plush farm animals, table with checked cloth, pot with dirt and seeds to plant, flannel shirts, plastic gardening tools

Activity Ideas – Plant seeds or bulbs in egg cartons full of dirt, harvest your school’s garden, provide various root vegetables and seeds to explore, have an apple taste test.

And there you have it! Six great center ideas for career day at school—from traditional to cutting-edge. Which career day stations have your students most enjoyed? Share your tips and activity ideas with your fellow educators in the comments below and let us know how career day goes!

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