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Universities and colleges in the United States are seeing a 60 percent dropout rate at the end of the freshman year. It is believed that the leading cause of this is that students are not informed about career paths before they enter college. In an attempt to get students thinking about life in the working world, Allen Park High School held its third Career Odyssey Day on April 3. Students began their day in the gymnasium, where R. Douglas Pretty, the Superintendent of Schools, advised them to thoroughly research their career choices before they apply to college. |
 (left to right) Barbara Earehart, SEMCA’s Project Manager, conducts mock interviews with: Kelly Snape; Gretchen Jaskowski; Sarah Johnson; and Hilary Verduce. |
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Pretty expressed his wish that they “find a career that they enjoy and that makes a difference to the community.” Once Pretty’s speech concluded, the students moved to the cafeteria where local business leaders were on hand to conduct mock interviews and answer questions about applying for a job. SEMCA’s Barbara Earehart was one of many business people who volunteered for this task. She spoke with the students about how to fill out a resume, how to write a cover letter, the importance of thank you letters, appropriate dress and body language. In the media resource center, over 80 occupations were represented by local companies. This gave the students the opportunity to ask questions about specific jobs to people who work in that field everyday. |
 Superintendent of Schools, R. Douglas Pretty, spoke to the students of Allen Park High about “Careers by Choice, Not Chance.” |
| SEMCA applauds Allen Park High School for its Career Odyssey Day. Events like this will help Michigan’s workforce become stronger and more competitive in a changing, global market. |
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