Bringing Maine’s Career Pathways into the Classroom

Author: JA Maine
Work Readiness
Published: Wednesday, 14 Oct 2026

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Bath Iron Works shares a welding simulator with Searsport HS

Image caption: Career Speaker from IDEXX joins a Deering HS class

A future career can be difficult to picture when students have never met someone doing the work.

JA Career Speakers help close that gap by bringing professionals into classrooms to share how they built their careers, what their work is really like and what they learned along the way. Students hear more than a job description. They learn about education and training, unexpected career turns, workplace challenges and the skills that help people move forward.

In JA Career Speaker Series, volunteers may use props, work samples or visuals to bring their stories to life. The experience is available across grades K–12 and can be delivered in the classroom, virtually or through recorded video, with activities adapted for different grade levels. Students practice identifying their interests and skills, recognizing career clusters and listening actively as they explore what may be possible for their own futures.

In the 2025–2026 school year, JA Maine welcomed 16 Career Speakers into classrooms. At Searsport High School, one classroom heard from six professionals representing fields including welding, criminal justice, marketing and health care. Experiences at other Maine schools introduced students to professionals in banking, construction, entrepreneurship, communications and additional industries, allowing students to see that there is rarely only one route into meaningful work.

Each speaker creates a direct connection between education and the working world. Students can ask the questions that do not always fit neatly into a textbook: How did you decide what to do? What did you study? What skills matter most? Did your career follow the path you expected?

Image caption: Human Resources Manager from Michael Foods Joins an Easton HS class to share his career trajectory

Career Speakers help students understand:

How interests and strengths can connect to real careers
The many roles that exist within a company or industry
The education, training and experience behind different pathways
Why communication, problem-solving, confidence and networking matter
How one job or experience can become a stepping stone to another
That it is normal for career plans to change over time

These conversations matter because students do not need to leave a Career Speaker experience with one final career decision. The value is in helping them recognize options, ask better questions and begin building a clearer picture of what could come next.

Image caption: JA Career Speaker Volunteer Joins a Gorham HS class

JA Maine students surveyed after hearing from JA Career Speaker volunteers:

72% of students felt the experience made them think about their own future career.
Sixty-six percent shared they learned about a career or job that was new to them
59% shared they gained new insight into skills they will need and 56% for receiving information that could help them plan for a future career.
After the experience, 65% said they felt more hopeful about their future and 57% said they felt more empowered.

The numbers tell an important part of the story. Student reflections show what those results can look like in practice:

“Every job that you have can somehow benefit you for the future.” - student

“You might not know what you’re going to do, but there are always options.” - student

“It was very motivating seeing people talk about where they are now and sharing what position they were in before they got there. It opened my eyes that everyone starts small and really pushes for what they have.” - student

Students also identified practical takeaways ranging from interview and communication skills to networking, résumé development, financial concepts, workplace expectations and the different education pathways available within an industry.

Together, their responses point to a central strength of Career Speakers: professional stories make the future feel more navigable. A speaker who describes changing industries, learning from an entry-level role or discovering a career later than expected can help students understand that uncertainty does not mean they are behind. It means they are still exploring.

Image caption: Man holding Up a Test In Front of Students

Career Speakers are part of JA Maine’s broader approach to career-connected learning. Across JA programs—not Career Speaker Series alone—Spring 2026 educator surveys found that 99% of respondents said JA aligned with classroom curriculum, while 94% agreed that their volunteer was prepared.

Educators also described an impact that continued beyond the JA experience.

“For weeks after our JA unit, students talk about the jobs they would like to have when they grow up, which leads them to research and ask questions about the skills they need to do that job.”
— Briana Brennick, educator, Ames Elementary

For Maine employers, Career Speakers offer a meaningful way to engage with the future workforce before students make decisions about coursework, training, postsecondary education or employment. Professionals can introduce careers students may not otherwise encounter, explain the range of roles within their organizations and help young people recognize that compelling opportunities exist here in Maine.

Most importantly, Career Speakers give students the chance to meet someone who can make a possibility feel real.

If your school is interested in bringing JA Career Speakers into the classroom, or if you or your company would like to share professional experiences with Maine students, connect with JA Maine’s Program Team.

You can also view available volunteer oppportunities on JA's volunteer portal.