Career Exploration/Career Days

Career fairs and trades days are an essential part of career-connected learning. Students who participate in career exploration can start planning for their post-high lives and careers and figure out what it takes to prepare for life after high school as they get closer to realizing their post-high goals.

When students participate in career fairs and trades days, they get real-world opportunities for contextualizing concepts like career clusters and what their training options are. At the same time, industry partners have a chance to connect and engage with enthusiastic members of the future workforce within their communities while increasing local awareness about their brand, business, or corporate social responsibility initiatives (CSR).

Portland Workforce Alliance (PWA) Career Days

 

Our wonderful partners at Portland Workforce Alliance (PWA) plan several career days at local businesses and organizations throughout the Portland Metro area.

Check PWA's events page for the most current schedule, as new career days are added frequently. 

Upcoming PWA Career Days (2025-26)

Each career day has separate details and registration links; check PWA's website, or follow links below, to register.

Fri, Oct. 24th, 2025   | 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM      Business/Electrical Career Day at Christenson Electric

Tue, Oct. 28th, 2025 | 9:00 AM-11:30 AM     Microchip Career Day

Tue, Nov. 4th, 2025  |  9:15 AM-12:00 PM    PWA Mental Health Careers Day

Wed, Nov. 5th, 2025 |  9:30 AM-12:00 PM    KGW News Career Day

Fri, Nov. 7th, 2025     |  9:00 AM-12:00 PM    AWS Elemental Tech Career Day 

Th, Nov. 13th, 2025   |   8:45 AM-12:00 PM   ZGF Architects Career Day

Fri, Nov. 14th, 2025   |  8:45 AM-1:30 PM     Holst Architecture Career Day

November Career Days are still being scheduled, with new ones added frequently. Make sure you check back regularly for more career-related learning opportunities and mentorship experiences, brought to us by our amazing partners at PWA!  

Past Career Days (2025-26)

Kaiser Permanente Career Day

Portland Fire & Rescue Career Day 

Turner Construction Career Day 

Landscape Architecture Career Day (GreenWorks)

Unfortunately, Reynolds HS cannot offer school-sponsored field trips for groups of students to attend most PWA career days. However, RHS students are welcome to attend PWA Career Days as long as they:

• REGISTER individually for each event in advance
• ARRANGE their own TRANSPORTATION to and from each event
• Have PARENT/GUARDIAN's PERMISSION if student is under 18 years old (permission form is part of the student's online registration process) 
• Have a PARENT/GUARDIAN CONTACT the RHS ATTENDANCE OFFICE to excuse student's absence if they are missing school to attend a PWA career day.

 

PWA Career Exploration & Mentorship Programs

 

 

 

PWA plans incredible activities and events for teens throughout the school year and summer break. Check out PWA's career exploration/mentorship opportunities on their website.

 

PWA plans many great opportunities for HS students, like...

Future of Nursing Mentorship Program - (GR 10/11): Fill out the INTEREST FORM to APPLY today!  Applications DUE Thursday, October 16th, 2025

• FREE, after-school career exploration/mentorship program for sophomores & juniors interested in nursing. During the program, students engage with local nursing schools and health care employers to explore careers in nursing, get peer coaching from nursing students, gain hands-on experience, and discover pathways into great health care careers. 

PWA Youth Impact Council - (GR 10/11/12): APPLY here today (applications accepted on a rolling deadline), but PRIORITY is given to students who APPLY by Friday, October 17th, 2025.   

• PAID leadership opportunity for sophomores, juniors, and seniors: students can apply to serve as advisory peer leaders while also building relationships and serving the community. Students will learn to be a voice for their fellow students while gaining leadership and career-readiness skills from industry professionals. 

ACE Mentor Program - Applications now OPEN!  | FREE, after-school career explorating & mentorship program for current juniors and seniors interested in career pathways related to Architecture, Construction, and Engineering.

An ACE Mentor Program INFO SESSION (in-person) is scheduled at Reynolds HS on Tuesday, October 21st in the Career Center. Contact Shannon Selby, College & Career Coordinator, if you want to sign up. 

Watch this YouTube video (6:37) to learn more about ACE Mentor Program.

If you miss the ACE Mentor Program INFO SESSION at RHS, interested students, parents, and guardians can attend an ACE Mentor Program GENERAL INFO SESSION. Sign up for an INFO SESSION using the registration links below. 

• Thursday, October 9th, 2025   | 6:00 PM-7:00 PM  | virtual (Zoom) | REGISTER here.
• Tuesday, November 4th, 2025 | 5:00 PM-6:00 PM | in-person (PSU-Shattuck Hall) | REGISTER here.

If you can't attend a live INFO SESSION, watch a 46-min. pre-recorded INFO SESSION from 2022 instead! 

To apply, complete the two-part application by Thursday, November 6th, 2025. 

Both parts of the application must be complete to be considered for the program!

1. Part 1 (Oregon Affiliate): Complete and submit the Oregon Local Application below (approximately 10-12 minutes).
2. Part 2 (National Database): Registered through the ACE National Database linked below.*

Students will be notified about the status of their applications by mid-November.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PCC Trades Career Fair (Swan Island Trade Center) - Friday, October 24th, 2025 | 1:00 PM-4:00 PM

Open to the public between 1:00 PM-4:00 PM. High school students, Job Corps, and other special groups are scheduled to attend from 10:00 AM-12:00 PM. This is a great opportunity for students to connect with local area employers, learn about different businesses, and receive good advice regarding education and next steps to be considered for entry and advanced level positions within their company. 

Did you know that most of the companies represented pay or reimburse education expenses for their staff?  This means no student loans for those students!

Employers are not expecting resumes from high school students, but if you have one and would like it reviewed, please bring several with you.  If you're looking for work, please bring many resumes; there are many participating employers (50+).