GEAR UP for Greatness: Free Career Exploration Camps

New River Community and Technical College, in partnership with GEAR UP Southern West Virginia, hosts a series of free career exploration camps for rising 9th and 10th graders in select West Virginia counties. These camps, lasting two days each, offer an exciting chance for junior high school students to explore promising career options in fields such as healthcare, outdoor adventure, automotive technology, welding, and robotics. Led by experienced instructors, each camp combines hands-on activities, demonstrations, and discussions to deepen students’ understanding of various professions. The program is structured to engage students in interactive, experiential learning while fostering connections to real-world job settings. Providing free lunch and opportunities to develop crucial skills, the camps are part of a broader initiative to support student success and readiness for postsecondary education. Each participant is eligible for one camp to fully immerse in career exploration opportunities.