Nitro-X is an outreach resource of the Minnesota State Transportation Center of Excellence, specifically designed for middle school students as a way to introduce them to the exploration of transportation careers. This session will showcase the event, discuss recent successes and partnerships, and next steps in the growth of this resource.
Ask a student what they want to be when they grow up and you are likely to get a wide variety of answers, but the important part of that answer is that they are able to give an answer to that question at a relatively early age. They are already considering a job or career at very young ages. The Minnesota State Transportation Center of Excellence (TCOE) has created Nitro-X as a resource for colleges and industry to engage the middle school learner and expose them to career exploration in the transportation sector. This is accomplished through a week-long, summer-time day camp where students build confidence in the use of tools, build a remote control car, and go on multiple field trips to industry locations, culminating in a race day where they can race and repair their vehicles.
"Middle schoolers are at a critical age of exploration and reflection as they more deeply learn about what they like to do. Learning about careers during these formative years can help them to set goals, build motivation for school work, and reduce anxiety as they think about their future. Career exposure in middle school can also be important to inform students’ decisions about electives in high school or extracurricular participation." (The Importance, 2023). The TCOE Nitro-X resource aims to influence the participant to consider transportation careers as an option.
This session will showcase the event and give an overview of the events and function of the day camps. It will also discuss recent successes and partnerships, and share next steps in the potential growth of this resource possibly scaling into a regional or nation-wide resource.
Citations:
The Importance of Career Exposure in Elementary, Middle, and High School, SchoolLinks, 11 Sept. 2023, www.schoolinks.com/resource/the-importance-of-career-exposure-in-elementary-middle-and-high-school.
After this session, you will:- Have a better understanding of the Nitro-X summer camps.
- Learn how the TCOE is working to grow this event on a larger scale.
- Understand how partnerships can be utilized to make successful events
