HELENA — Childhood is a great time for people to discover what they might be passionate about as a career. On Wednesday, over 550 Helena sixth graders got the chance to do just that and more through the Cradle to Career Program.
Among the students was Ki Bachofner who is interested in the medical field and had the chance to see firsthand what could one day be a career.
“I'm really grateful that we have this opportunity. I think it expands what I could be doing in the future,” said Bachofner.
Bachofner had the chance to experience real-world medical scenarios using a VR headset and told MTN about one of the situations students could work through.
“I was working with an emergency patient who had just been in a car accident, so I got to put an IV in his arm and clean the injury off and stuff.”
Students also learned skills like CPR and basic first aid that can be used in an emergency.
“If you're ever in a dangerous situation, like, for example, if you don't have a phone or there are no adults around and this person starts having a panic attack, or like they can't breathe or anything, it's important to know CPR or something like that, which can help,” said sixth-grade student Emma Sizemore.
The Cradle to Career program introduces students to different career opportunities in the Helena area, from law enforcement to banking. This is the program’s second year, and it’s grown.
“We had so much interest after last year that many people reached out and wanted to be presenters. So, we formed a sixth location, and each location has three stations, so they're getting a ton of different experiences with different community members and their career opportunities,” said Bethany Coe, Prevention Specialist for Lewis and Clark County.
The event brought together community organizations and businesses, including Carroll College, Dick Anderson Construction, Northwestern Energy, Opportunity Bank, MT Radio, Lewis and Clark Library, Helena Police Department, Helena College Cosmetology, Helena College, Holter Museum, Montana Wild, the US Forest Service, St. Peter’s Health, and Montana Area Health Education Centers (AHEC).
The hope is that students will realize there are a plethora of career fields and adjacent opportunities that can keep them in Helena.
(Watch the video to hear more about the event's inspiration from St. Peter's Health)
