High School Sophs at Portland Science Center for Career Day

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PHS Students Using the Centrifuge Equipment at Portland Science Center

PHS Students Using the Centrifuge Equipment at Portland Science Center,  Photo by Matt Stone.

By Carol McCracken  (Post # 2,578)

Five Portland High School sophomores participated in an annual job shadowing program at the Portland Science Center on the Portland waterfront earlier today.  The “career day” was intended to introduce students to employment opportunities  in the Portland area as a step to encourage students to remain in Portland and pursue their individual dreams in a variety of fields. Portland famously has difficulty attracting a skilled and young workforce to fulfill the positions it has available.

Two hundred sophomores participated in the event sponsored by the Portland Public School Department.   Over 30 businesses and nonprofits opened their doors to the students.  One of those locations included the city manager’s office at city hall.

When the five students were asked if they knew  what professions they might enter, only one expressed interest in the sciences said Matt Stone, Director of Sales, for the Center, located at 68 Commercial Street.  That demonstrates the importance of this Science Center in Portland.  The Center that opened last year with a highly successful  “body worlds” exhibit exposes young minds to many opportunities in the fields of science Stone said.  Emphasis was placed on the skills and experience that can be gained by working in a scientific based environment because those skills and that training  can be transferred to other careers . The current exhibit focuses on space.

“It was a great look into the minds and dreams of todays’ young people,” said Stone.  “The Portland Public Schools are to be commended for their forward thinking outlook in providing this opportunity to Portland students.”

Incidentally, tomorrow  marks the 104th anniversary of the sinking of the “unsinkable” Titanic.  Wouldn’t it be awesome if PSC had a Titanic exhibit in its near future ?:)

For information on rates for group tours of the current space exhibit and future exhibits, please contact Matt Stone at 812-3848 or Matt@PortlandSienceCenter.com Please visit PotlandScienceCenter.com for more information.

(Note:  Progress on the healing of broken leg of Carol McCracken remains slow, but positive.  It will take more weeks before she is out and about! The break at home occurred on Sunday morning, February 28,2016.)