Career Exploration
Connecting learning to careers & Building Life Skills.
The D97 Career Exploration Program is a week-long summer experience offered in partnership with District 97 as an extension of its Middle School Explorer Program. This additional week is open to Explorer Program participants in grades 5–7 who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch.
This immersive week gives students a firsthand look at the world of work — and helps to see themselves as future professionals — through the lens of the National Career Clusters® Framework.
Students explore 14 career pathways across six industry groupings through hands-on programming that build practical skills and a business mindset. They then learn beyond the classroom through visits to local companies, where they see careers and workplaces in action.
The D97 Middle School Explorer Program is District 97's own program — an introduction to college and career interests for grades 5–7 students who qualify for free or reduced lunch. It includes high-impact tutoring at Brooks Middle School, College for Kids at Triton College, and field trips. OPEN's Career Exploration week is an additional, STEAM-focused component within that program. The description below should make this partnership context clear without making it feel exclusive or limiting.
What students will experience
Life skills
Developing life skills and soft skills such as communication, self-awareness, resilience, and professional presence
Professional mindset
Business mindset and entrepreneurial thinking from identifying problems to creating solutions
Problem-solving
Problem-solving challenges that mirror real workplace scenarios
Career awareness
Guest speaker sessions with professionals across the 14 National Career Clusters
Self-knowledge
Introduction to the National Career Clusters® Framework as a tool for exploring future pathways
About the National Career Clusters® Framework
The National Career Clusters® Framework, developed by Advance CTE, organizes careers into 14 clusters and 72 sub-clusters across 6 groupings. OPEN's Career Exploration Program uses this framework to help students connect their STEAM interests to real career possibilities — giving them a map of the professional world long before they have to choose a path.
Every Dollar Opens a Door.
OPEN's programs are free to students — and possible because of the generosity of our donors, partners, and community. Your support keeps STEAM exploration accessible to every child in Oak Park, regardless of background.