Tag Archives: career cowboy

Interactive bus to help students learn more about health, science, tech careers

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HISD’s completely revamped career bus is hitting the road.

The district’s Career Readiness Department unveiled the newly remodeled vehicle—known as the Career Ready Wagon—on March 26, when it made its inaugural visit to Atherton Elementary School.

The bus is designed to allow elementary school students in third, fourth, and fifth grades the chance to explore possible career interests before advancing to middle school. It features a robotics station, a flight simulator, and a welding simulator, as well as an electric station that allows students to build their own electrical circuits. Also inside are four touchscreen monitors where students can test their career knowledge with a short quiz and watch a career-related video.

The bus will visit another 10 elementary schools — Anderson, Dávila, Emerson, Field, Garcia, Helms, Jefferson, Mading, Mandarin Chinese Language Immersion Magnet School, and T.H. Rogers — throughout April and May.

The bus is sponsored by HISD and CenterPoint Energy.

Also see this related story on HISD’s one and only Career Cowboy, Jake Breier, who was the subject of an “I Am HISD” profile last October.

Meet HISD’s one and only ‘Career Cowboy,’ Jake Breier

In this edition of I Am HISD, which features district students, graduates, employees, and other team members, we talk to Jake Breier about how he became the district’s “Career Cowboy,” what he has learned about managing expectations through costumes, and the changes audiences can expect to see in the program this year.

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Let’s start with the basics. What is a “career cowboy” and what does one do?

Basically, I do two things: presentations (about possible careers) and activity stations. The presentations usually involve information and music, but recently we got a robot like the ones a few high schools received last year. Mine is blue, and sometimes I bring it out to talk about engineering and programming. Kids love it. Continue reading

‘Career Cowboy’ targeting career education in HISD elementary schools

Think back to when you were a child. What did you want to be when you grew up: a doctor, lawyer, or fighter pilot?

Now, elementary-age students can interact with hands-on exhibits and activities that can map out a career path in numerous professions.

HISD’s Career and Technical Education department has developed a free, mobile learning program designed to teach students about professional careers and the types that are available in the Houston area. Students could soon see the Ready Wagon bus pull up to their campus and have the chance to meet the “Career Cowboy”.

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