For more than 1,200 local ninth graders, this past Wednesday wasn’t about textbooks or tests; it was all about hands-on career exploration. With smiles on their faces and a list of questions, students from 17 area high schools got the chance to explore what their futures might hold beyond the classroom.

Students participated in numerous hands-on activities, including virtual welding, using artificial intelligence, speed challenges, log climbing, ultrasound and more, during the seventh-annual MiCareerQuest West Central event hosted by Michigan Works! West Central. These experiences provided students with valuable insight into the wide variety of high-demand career and education opportunities available in west-central Michigan.

A total of 1,215 ninth graders from eight counties participated in the event, which gave local students the opportunity to connect with local industry experts and learn about what a day in the life of their industry is all about. The annual event was held on April 15, inside Ferris State University’s Wink Arena.

Seventy-three employers and training providers offered hands-on activities for students to try in four different industry sectors, including healthcare, manufacturing and in-demand careers such as skilled trades, as well as programs available at regional training providers.

“MiCareerQuest gives every ninth-grade student in our area the chance to explore interactive hands-on exhibits, try out industry-specific activities, and meet local professionals from across a wide variety of industry sectors,” said Shelly Keene, Michigan Works! West Central CEO. “We invite freshmen to attend because it’s important for them to understand the breadth of opportunities available locally. This whole event is to get students thinking about what path they take after they finish high school, whether it’s going to a 2-year college, 4-year university, a trade school, into an apprenticeship, into the military or right into the workforce. We are providing them with practical information so they can make informed decisions about their education path and beyond.”

The platinum sponsor for this year’s MiCareerQuest event was the West Michigan Plumbers, Fitters & Service Trades Local 174 (UA 174), which has participated in the event every year since it began in 2020. UA 174 member and Refrigeration Service Technician Matthew Maleski participated at this year’s event, where he talked to students about being a plumber-pipefitter and provided information about their apprenticeship programs.

“This experience is really important for our youth to learn about all kinds of professions out there,” Maleski said about MiCareerQuest. “Without coming to this event, kids just wouldn’t know what all of these types of professions are all about and the vast number of opportunities that are available to them in the region.”

Michigan Works! West Central successfully launched its inaugural in-person MiCareerQuest West Central event in 2020, before adapting to a virtual format for two years during the COVID-19 pandemic. The event returned to in-person in 2023, and has seen steady growth in participation each year.

Impressively, in its first seven years, MiCareerQuest West Central is estimated to have provided more than 12,200 ninth-grade students across its six-county region with valuable insights into high-demand local career and educational pathways. Two schools from Montcalm and Manistee counties, which are outside of Michigan Works! West Central’s coverage area, joined this year’s MiCareerQuest event, expanding the event’s reach to eight counties.

“MiCareerQuest West Central is our largest event of the year and an incredible experience for students to get a better idea of what high-demand industries and occupations are available in their hometowns,” said Jonathan Eppley, Director of Communications and Public Affairs for Michigan Works! West Central. “Our goal for the event is to connect the next generation of workforce with the local employers and training providers, but our reward is seeing the students’ excitement as they discover new interests and career possibilities. MiCareerQuest takes about six months to plan, and is such a great experience for everyone involved, including students, educators, exhibitors, volunteers and our dedicated staff. We can’t wait for next year’s event.”

Michigan Works! West Central has service centers in Lake, Mason, Mecosta, Newaygo, Oceana and Osceola counties, and offers a variety of services to both employers and job seekers. For more info or to find your local center, please visit MWWC.org. For more information about MiCareerQuest and to view pictures from this year’s event, visit MWWC.org/MICQ.