West Michigan Works hosting career-exploration event Wednesday in G.R.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- About 8,300 West Michigan middle and high school students will get the chance to learn about careers in some high-demand industries Wednesday at DeVos Place in downtown Grand Rapids.

Students will rotate through sectors such as agribusiness, advanced manufacturing, construction, health sciences and information technology. Chad Patton talked about it Tuesday on West Michigan's Morning News. He is director of Development and Innovation for West Michigan Works.

"There's going to be 280 careers here represented by 92 different employers," Patton said. "And we're basing all of these off from careers that are in demand, right? That have future for growth and really have high-growth potential, as well."

Patton told WOOD Radio a lot of local companies that are competitors decided to partner up for this project to grow their industry.

"And growing the careers and investing early into these 8th- through 10th-graders, to make sure that they know and see themselves in these career pathways," he said.

West Michigan Works collaborates on the career program with the intermediate school districts in its seven-county region.

"To one, get the students to come. But then, to get a curriculum in the teachers' hands so they're able to make sure students are working on what their career goals look like and what they've learned. So then, they can share it with their parents and they can communicate with their parents what this is."

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