On Nov. 19, our University of Michigan-Dearborn & Henry Ford College BattChallenge team participated in MiCareerQuest Southeast, held at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi, Mich.
This event is the region’s largest interactive career exploration experience, welcoming 8,000 high school students along with their teachers and counselors. It was a day full of hands-on learning, curiosity and excitement about future career possibilities.
We created a booth display to advertise our Battery Workforce Challenge collegiate competition. We also took the opportunity to discuss the futures of the highschoolers in attendance. It was such an incredible chance to not only talk about the future of technology, but also ask the students about their plans for higher education. We not only pitched the importance of this challenge, but we also shared the advantages that attending either of the of UM–Dearborn and Henry Ford College campuses can provide.
Although our Henry Ford College partners weren’t able to join us in person, they were key to the event’s success. Their hard work in planning and preparing made all the difference, ensuring we could deliver an engaging experience for the students. Whether it was brainstorming activity ideas or shaping the flow of our demonstrations, their input helped set the stage for a fantastic day.
On-site, our UM-Dearborn team members stepped up to lead interactive demos, showcasing cutting-edge battery technology and sustainable-energy concepts.
A team member shared, “It felt amazing to connect with students and see their excitement about these technologies. Even without our vocational partners there, we felt their support in everything we presented.”
As we reflect on the day, we’re already excited about the future. Opportunities like this remind us why collaboration between universities and vocational schools is so important; it creates a broader, more impactful experience for everyone involved.
MiCareerQuest Southeast is about more than just career exploration, it’s about inspiring the next generation. The organizers captured this perfectly in their post-event message, which read: “If you influenced just one student and changed their career trajectory, you made a difference!”
More importantly, other teams in this competition or local employers, should absolutely inquire about similar opportunities as this in their respective areas. Not only did we engage with the youth, but we were able to understand what the next generation is getting excited about and be able to pitch why what we have to offer might be the best option for them.
We’d like to extend our gratitude to the MiCareerQuest organizers, our Henry Ford College partners, and, most importantly, the students who made the day so special. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to engage with our community and share our journey in the Battery Workforce Challenge!
