At King Elementary School, curiosity met opportunity during a day of career exploration that put students face-to-face with “careers on wheels.” The schoolyard transformed into a hands-on learning hub where students from Pre-K through 5th grade could climb into the driver’s seat of big rigs, operate the levers of construction equipment, and hear directly from the professionals who use them every day.
The event was led by school counselor Laura Kehrl, who wanted to expand the way students think about future possibilities. “Career development starts with exposure,” Kehrl explained. “When students can touch, see, and even sit in the equipment, it makes those career paths feel real and attainable. That sense of ‘I could do this one day’ is powerful.”
Kehrl first introduced the idea last year with a focus on healthcare careers, inviting emergency responders and medical professionals to campus, including an ambulance for students to explore. This year, inspired by her research into career events in other communities, she wanted to highlight industries tied to transportation, construction, and logistics. “Kids are fascinated by trucks,” Kehrl said. “So why not channel that natural interest into learning about careers that are essential in our community?”
Local partnerships made the day possible. B.R. Kreider & Son, Inc. brought a dump truck and excavator, while the Lancaster County Career & Technology Center contributed a tractor trailer and expertise from its CDL licensing program. Representatives shared their own career journeys, the training required to operate the machinery, and the importance of safety and responsibility in these fields.
Phil Jago, SDoL’s Coordinator of College and Career Services, emphasized how events like these connect classroom learning to real-world pathways. “The single most important aspect of career exploration at the elementary level is that it is fun, touchable, smellable, seeable,” Jago said. “These kids are thrilled to learn about heavy industry, which is a major sector of our local workforce. Who knows, today we may have sparked the interest of a future CDL driver, heavy equipment operator, or logistics leader.”
Throughout the day, each classroom had a chance to rotate through the stations. For many students, it was their first time sitting inside the truck or hearing from an industry professional. The excitement was evident, eyes wide as engines roared, hands eagerly reaching for the wheel, and voices full of questions about what it takes to do these jobs.
For Kehrl, that enthusiasm is what career readiness is all about. “Our goal isn’t to have students choose a career at this age,” she said. “It’s to help them imagine possibilities and begin connecting their interests with the world around them. The more experiences like this we can provide, the more we set them up to dream, explore, and eventually find the path that’s right for them.”
At SDoL, career development is not something that begins in high school, it begins with exposure, curiosity, and fun in the earliest grades. With events like Careers on Wheels, King Elementary is giving students the building blocks to see themselves in Lancaster’s workforce of tomorrow. For more photos, visit Facebook.