Health Exploration in San José

Close your eyes and picture a health worker. Who comes to mind for you? A doctor? A nurse? Many of us hold on to limited perspectives on the careers within the health field. In fact, there are hundreds of professions within health. These jobs in-demand across the Bay Area, with about a quarter of major employers in our community in the health science and medical technology sector.

To showcase the breadth of opportunities available, the San José K-16 Collaborative hosted two health preview days this spring. On April 26, 2024, the Collaborative hosted Exploring Careers in Education, Health & Community, welcoming 100 attendees from Del Mar High School, Independence High School, and Overfelt High School to San José State University for an engaging day, including a career panel, breakout sessions to explore career areas, a mentoring lunch, and employer/college resource fair. San José State students also had the opportunity to join in on the learning, exploring their interests and resources available to them on campus. Employers participating in the career fair included school districts, city and county government departments, and local health clinics.

On May 3, 2024, San José held another health career event, welcoming about 100 students from three other local high schools-San José High School, Andrew Hill High School, and Milpitas Dual Enrollment Extension High School- for an informative and engaging day at San José State. Students took a campus tour, explored on-campus departments and resources, and visited departments around campus for hands-on learning. Students visited two departments, and could choose from Audiology, Kinesiology, Occupational Therapy, Public Health, Nursing, Social Work, Speech Therapy, and Psychology.