Pismo Beach middle school students explore future job opportunities during annual career day

PISMO BEACH, Calif. - Hundreds of students at Judkins Middle School in Pismo Beach participated in its annual career day Friday morning.

For two hours, all of the students on the campus, totaling about 450, spent time walking around the school's gymnasium speaking with more more than three dozen different working professionals.

"Right around the time that students register for high school, we want them to be exposed to as many pathways as possible so that they have an idea of what they might want to do in their future," said Jami Wozniak, Judkins Middle School counselor. "We have many businesses here from the community. We have a pilot. We have doctors, nurses, fire, police, ambulance, and all of the pathways from Arroyo Grande High School, as well as New Tech High School."

Wozniak added the career day is now in its 15th year at Judkins and is something she's helped hold every year since she first arrived at the school.

Each student was required to speak with at least one professional and ask a list of questions about information related to their occupation.

"I think it gives the students a really good opportunity to decide what they want to do when they grow up and look at their jobs and see their perspectives on it," said student Logan Peterson. "I think it's important because we need the exposure to what we want to do when we grow up. I feel like the sooner the better because if students know what they want to be when they grow up, they've got a mission, and if they put their mind to it, I think it's going to be a great outcome."

Some of the prepared questions asked by the students to the professionals included, what are the day-to-day duties, what special training or education is required, what are the favorite parts of their job, and what are some of the challenges.

"I like seeing the jobs and what people do in a typical day, how they work, and if they like the job and stuff," said student Bella Trejo. "I think this is important because it gives young people a good view and a good look at what they would like to be when they're older."

Among those who took part was longtime News Channel reporter and community liaison Dave Alley, who spoke to the students about the television news business.

For Alley, his appearance marked a homecoming for the Pismo Beach native. He returned back to the same campus where he attended junior high school many years earlier.