Hawaiʻi World of Work Week Connects Students to Careers

Hawaiʻi students are exploring future careers in the first ever Hawaiʻi World of Work Week, a series organized by the State Department of Education along with STEMworks™. The series connects students with employers from across the state through video chat using Nepris, a cloud-based platform that enables virtual connections between learners of any age with industry professionals. Students have been discussing careers with professionals all week and will continue to do so until tomorrow.

The series includes over fifteen virtual sessions from Hawaiʻi employers such as 3D Innovations/3D Academy,  Bayer Crop, Boeing, Bayada Home Care, Maui Health System, Kentik, National Solar Observatory, Oceanit, and Walker Industries.

Isla Young, the director of STEM education and workforce development at STEMworks™, said connecting the cutting-edge learning offered through their program with Hawaiʻi-based industry leaders is a key benefit for both students and teachers.

“As we work to grow the next generation of student leaders, the ability to expose and inspire them to high growth, high demand jobs is incredibly important,” Young said. “We are very grateful to the many industry partners who have stepped up to provide an inspiring glimpse of the career possibilities available to Hawaiʻi students.”

According to Bernadette Howard, HIDOE state director for career and technical education, the department believes the series will help students get a jump start on their future. During the series, students get a rare, inside look into the future of work with the help of Nepris, which has connected hundreds of thousands of students to diverse career role models across the state.

“There are so many high-wage, high-demand career opportunities available that students are not aware of, and this lack of exposure is the main reason that leads to student drop out and causes the skills gap that employers face,” explained Sabari Raja, Co-Founder of Nepris.

More information about the Hawaiʻi World of Work Week is available online.