Hudson Valley Community College filled up with eighth and ninth graders last week for Career Jam Explore, a one-day career fair built for kids who are still three or four years from choosing anything. Students from 14 Capital Region schools came to the Troy campus, started with a “Prep Rally” of trivia and prizes that introduced career clusters, then spent the day on an exploration floor where dozens of local businesses had set up hands-on exhibits: laying bricks alongside a fifth-generation mason, nursing and power-tool stations, and a look at how nanoscience is used in local industry, according to Aarika Van Amburgh, who owns Career Jam. Before the day, students took a discovery survey developed with the Siena Research Institute, and schools could add a campus tour.
The organizers’ news release gave the attendance two ways, “nearly 2,000” and “a total of 1,700,” so take the round number loosely. The sponsors quoted in the release make the pitch plainly: Pioneer’s chief executive Thomas Amell called it an investment in the future workforce, STS Steel’s president Geoff Frazier said reaching students in eighth and ninth grade is how the trades build a pipeline, and Rensselaer County Regional Chamber president Norris Pearson said the point is to inspire local talent “to stay right here in the Capital Region.” HVCC president Michael Brophy said the college’s multi-year partnership with Career Jam reflects a shared commitment to showing students “how their interests and talents can translate into rewarding careers.”
The release did not list the participating schools, so we cannot say whether Hoosic Valley sent students. If your eighth or ninth grader went, we would like to hear what they tried; reach us through the about page.
Source: the Career Jam news release as published by the Troy Record, October 12, 2026. Attendance figures and quotes are the organizers’.
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