Fresno Unified eighth graders took part in the district's first ever Career Technical Education Expo

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Fresno Unified is working to build the next generation of skilled workers. On Wednesday, 5,500 eighth graders took part in the district's first-ever Career Technical Education Expo.

Students got a better understanding of the different career program options offered at local high schools.

"Our middle schoolers need to get more information about all of our programs not just their high school so this idea was born in our department as a way to do that so that every school all got to come and hear the same message and they all got to experience some of the career technical programs," said Julia Reese.

The event was held at Valdez Hall in Downtown Fresno. From medical to mechanical, Fresno Unified hoped to capture the kid's attention with various hands-on demonstrations and interactive displays showcased by each high school.

"We have engineering we have welding we have automotive we also have marketing and business and medical there's a little bit of everything so you can kind of get an idea as an 8th grader and high schooler do I really like this, can I try it out and can I learn from it," said Reese.

Students spent a couple of hours checking out the exhibits and learning about career technical opportunities before returning to their middle school campus.

"I wish as an eighth grader I had this experience because I didn't know anything about the high schools. I didn't know Duncan had a nursing program. I just thought all high schools were the same," said Alie Phonthaphone.