On Friday, October 17, around 2,000 9th-grade students will visit Lake Michigan College’s Mendel Center to explore Michigan’s 6 Career Pathways and meet with Berrien County industry representatives during Career Pathway Day 2025, hosted by Berrien RESA, Michigan Works! Berrien, Cass, Van Buren and Lake Michigan College.
“Career Pathway Day is the ultimate display of countywide collaboration, bringing our K-12 schools and our local businesses together to connect,” said Berrien RESA Assistant Superintendent and Career & Technical Education (CTE) Regional Director Chris Machiniak. “The best way to help young people further develop their career interests is to provide them with direct, interactive experiences with employers and let them try out some of the daily tasks performed in their prospective industries. This isn’t a traditional job fair; it’s a fun, interactive environment that allows nearly 2,000 9th-grade students to engage one-on-one with professionals like engineers, attorneys, nurses, and machinists, gaining a first-hand understanding of local career paths and the skills they’ll need to start their careers locally.”
“Partnering with Berrien RESA to bring this event to life was a natural fit,” said Jennifer Deamud, Executive Vice President of Workforce at Michigan Works! Berrien, Cass, Van Buren. “Together, we’re giving local youth the chance to explore career paths and apprenticeships in a hands-on, meaningful way. This kind of early exposure is critical— not just for sparking interest, but for helping young people see what’s possible and start building real-world skills. Collaboration like this makes a lasting impact, and we’re proud to be part of it.
The event will commence with an overview of Career Pathway Day activities at the Mendel Center’s Jenkins Theater, followed by a career expo in Grand Upton Hall. Employers will be organized into sections based on Michigan’s 6 Career Pathways: Arts & Communication; Business, Management, Marketing, and Technology; Engineering, Manufacturing and Industrial Technology; Health Sciences; Human Services; and Natural Resources and Agriscience.
Lake Michigan College representatives, along with veteran high school Career & Technical Education students, will be on hand to share their CTE class experiences with their 9th-grade peers.
Participating companies include:
Abonmarche Consultants
Army National Guard
Beacon Health Systems
Berrien County Conservation District
Berrien County Parks Love Creek Nature Center
Berrien County Sheriff’s Department
Berrien RESA Mental Health Team
Bloom Sluggett, PC/South Haven City Attorney
Bonnell Aluminum
C&S Machine
Corewell Health Clinical Education
Corewell Health Lakeland
Edgewater Automation
Flowers Early Learning
Foxtrot Flight Training, LLC
Gaishin Manufacturing, LLC
GreenMark Equipment
JR Automation
Krasl Art Center
Lake Michigan College Commercial Driver’s License Semitruck Program
Lindberg/MPH
Lounsbury Excavating
M-DOT
Maximum Mold
MI Works!/ Youth Solutions
Michigan State Police
Mid West Family Marketing & Media
Midwest Class & Mirror
Nova
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South Bend Electrical JATC
Stonehouse Nursery
United Federal Credit Union
Waterstreet Glassworks
Weldstar
YMCA Greater Michiana at Northside Child Development.Center
The event is being hosted by Lake Michigan College in collaboration with Berrien
RESA and Michigan Works! Berrien, Cass, Van Buren.
