It's never too early to think about the future. At least, that was the takeaway for the 500 or so elementary and middle schoolers from the Socorro Independent School District who took part in the 11th annual Career Awareness Showcase. Held at Pebble Hills High School on September 20, the event was a proactive step for students in grades four through eight to get a grasp of the career opportunities that lie ahead of them. They engaged with local businesses and dug into Socorro ISD’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, as reported by Socorro ISD.
Exploring careers isn't just a daydream, but an integral part of planning for a successful future. Makaio Waldo, an eighth grader keen on becoming a pharmacist, soaked in valuable insights at the showcase. He and his parents sat through a presentation on the pharmacy technician program at Socorro High School’s Health Professions Academy. Highlighting the day for many, five alumni of the same program, now first-year pharmacy students at the University of Texas at El Paso, were present to share their experiences. One of them, Sebastian Estorga, who enrolled in the UTEP pharmacy program in August, shared his journey with the intention to motivate aspirants like Waldo. "It's a very diverse group from all backgrounds. And I want to give them an opportunity to see, like, that anybody can do it," Estorga told Socorro ISD.
With 14 state-recognized and 16 nationally identified career clusters, and 43 specialized instruction pathways at their disposal, students in the Socorro Independent School District are spoiled for choice. The District also adds into the mix advanced academic academies and early college high school programs, with P-TECH (Pathways in Technology Early College High Schools) offerings in place. Come October 1st, eighth graders will have the chance to apply for these programs, including at the Mission Early College High School, as they start to weigh their high school endorsements.
