Phillipsburg Middle School students receive career education via virtual reality

The Phillipsburg Middle School eighth grade students had the opportunity to discover career paths through a Virtual Reality Headset monitored by the Phillipsburg Agriculture teacher Allison Dix during their Introduction to Agriculture class.

This opportunity was granted by Kansas lawmakers to increase career interests through the Kansas Promise Careers. This program is called the Youth Discovery Grant and is sponsored by a combination of organizations such as, FFA, 4-H and Boys and Girls Club.

“This opportunity lets them see what careers they don’t like and see different careers they haven’t thought about while also getting to experience the day-to-day jobs they might encounter before moving forward in a career,” Dix said.

Essentially these students put on a Virtual Reality Headset with a program that allows them see what the job might entail.

Eighth grader Ella Knowles said, “It felt pretty cool, I did enjoy the different experiences and various jobs, and I liked how I felt like I was doing the job myself.”

Eighth grader Preston Hilburn also said what she thought about this program. “I liked how it felt like you were actually there and you could do the job and it wasn’t like they would do it and you just copied what they did, but I wish the program would have had more job options available.”

Phillipsburg is only one of two schools to receive this virtual learning opportunity and hopes to keep this program around to help kids find their dream job.

Dix said, “I do hope to continue this program because I truly think this is opening new career ideas.”