PCEC News
GVSU Programs and Industry Partners Participate in Mi Career Quest
April 17, 2024
Over 8,000 middle and high school students packed the DeVos Convention center on March 27 for the Mi Career Quest. Students were able to immerse themselves in hands-on activities in five different high-demand industries prevalent in West Michigan: Agribusiness, Information Technology, Advanced Manufacturing, Construction, and Health Professions. As an Educational Exhibitor, Grand Valley brought over twenty faculty, staff, students, and alumni to engage with students from dozens of schools.
The GVSU College of Health Professions showcased Occupational Therapy, Speech Language Pathology, Athletic Training, Audiology, Radiation Therapy, Public Health, and Physician’s Assistant programs.
The GVSU School of Computing demonstrated AI technology and talked about career opportunities as a Software Engineer, Data Scientist, Data Analyst, Machine Learning Engineer, Database Developer, and more.
Dr. Jonathan Engelsma, Computer Science Professor and Director of the GVSU Applied Computing Institute, kept things buzzing in the Agribusiness Sector. Dr. Engelsma is a beekeeper that likes to integrate technology into hives. His work with the Bee Informed Partnership has allowed beekeepers to electronically monitor their hives and share data to study bee colony health. +
The GVSU School of Engineering and Occupational Safety and Health Management program shared space in the Advanced Manufacturing sector. Proving that physics can be fun, students built mini catapults from craft sticks, rubber bands, and sample-size spoons to launch tiny erasers and buttons into buckets. Students were also able to visualize their physical work habits with the help of real-time, AI-powered technology from Soter Analytics. OSH graduate, Hannah Zelinsky, utilized the mobile app SoterTask to show students if they were using safe lifting techniques to move a crate from the floor to standing position.
Another OSH graduate represented Rockford Construction in the Construction Sector of the Career Quest. Marissa Alverson, the Safety Coordinator for Rockford Construction, facilitated a lock-out tag-out activity where teams of students had to race to be the first team to release their hasp from a construction cone.