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BridgeYear logo featuring a stylized "B" and the text "Career Test Drive®" emphasizing hands-on career exploration programs for students.

Career Test Drive® Program in Greater Houston

BridgeYear’s Career Test Drive® Program reimagines career exploration by providing hands-on simulations in different high-growth, high-demand careers. Our dynamic experience allows students to explore interests and skills while learning about successful career pathways that require less than a 4-year degree.
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What Makes Our Career Test Drive® Program Unique?

Every Career Test Drive® Program service – whether it’s our Labs or Fairs – provides youth these three things:

Students engaged in hands-on career simulation activities, examining materials and using lab equipment during BridgeYear's Career Test Drive® Program.

Hands-On Simulations

While some students enjoy tours and guest speakers, many prefer to dive in and explore careers for themselves. Our interactive career simulations give students the chance to experience different careers firsthand and discover what truly sparks their interest.

Two students engaging in hands-on career exploration at a BridgeYear Career Test Drive® event, examining materials on a table, with informational displays in the background.

Industry-Aligned Careers

BridgeYear leverages workforce data and direct partnerships with employers to connect youth with in-demand careers, strengthening the labor market while helping students pursue successful career opportunities.

Students engaged in hands-on electrical simulations, wearing safety vests, exploring career pathways in the BridgeYear Career Test Drive® Program.

Non 4-Year Pathways

With the heavy emphasis on college, many students believe a bachelor’s degree is the only path to success. We highlight career pathways requiring less than a four-year degree, opening doors to opportunities they may have never considered.

Build your future workforce

Contact Us →

For Schools

Students engaging with BridgeYear representatives at a career exploration event, featuring displays for Biological Technician and Automotive Technician pathways, emphasizing hands-on career simulations and opportunities outside of four-year degrees.

While education is the key to better jobs and stability, a four-year college degree is not the only road to success.

Support students not pursuing a four-year college degree to successfully access viable career and education pathways that lead to economic security, personal autonomy, and growth opportunities.

Discover Opportunities for Students →
Students had a great time... You've helped them realize they don't have to go to a university in order to develop a career (and) how high school is just a step to getting to do what they want to do... (They) are more motivated to succeed here. Your staff is amazing with students... keeping them engaged, answering questions, and helping their self-esteem rise.”
Sheryl Valdez
Columbia High School Staff

For Employers

Partnerships with leading companies are vital to the fulfillment of our mission.

By connecting students to high-growth,
in-demand careers, corporate partners are helping create lasting impact in the lives of young individuals and our communities while addressing their own talent pipeline needs.

Benefits to Companies →
Students engaged in career exploration discussions during BridgeYear's Career Test Drive® Program, emphasizing hands-on learning and mentorship in a collaborative setting.

12,000+ Students Reached Annually

For Students

Young woman holding a certificate of completion from The Academy of Exceptional Healthcare Training, smiling with a colorful abstract background, representing career pathways and training opportunities for students.

High school seniors and recent graduates can enroll with BridgeYear’s partner training programs in the Houston area.

Join a Certification Cohort Program or find a local training program near you on MorePathways to prepare for a career that requires less than a four-year degree.

Find Your Next Step After High School →

400+ Low-Cost Trainings on MorePathways

Our Available Careers

At the Career Test Drive® Fair, students explore their skills and interests through hands-on career simulations. Discover our available career modules and what students can expect from the experience.

Automotive Technician
Correct the bugged Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) through the use of the 6-step troubleshooting plan, electrical wiring diagram, and repair manual.
Biological Technician
Use laboratory tools to measure and transfer liquids, prepare samples, and observe reactions while following proper lab procedures and accurately recording results.
Dental Hygienist
Examine a dental model to identify oral health conditions, then use dental instruments to remove simulated plaque and tartar while practicing proper patient care.
Diesel Engine Specialist
Inspect diesel engine components, identify signs of wear or malfunction, and use diagnostic information to determine the repair needed to restore proper engine performance.
Electrician
Renovate a client’s home by updating and modernizing fixtures. Replace dated lighting with a new pendant light, which will illuminate when installed correctly.
HVAC Technician
Complete an AC installation by testing the thermostat, then installing vents, connecting ductwork, and adjusting a damper to ensure proper airflow.
Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN)
Step into the shoes of an LVN to take vital signs and practice a blood draw on a training arm. Learn the fundamentals of safety, patient communication, and compassionate care.
Manufacturing Technician
Read technical blueprints to select, dimension, and 3D print custom gear prototypes using the manual router, ensuring precise geometry and fit.
Network Technician
Install and test the network systems by wiring an office cubicle. If the lights on the tester turn on in sequence, the internet connection has been established successfully.
Pharmacy Technician
Navigate pharmacy tasks such as utilizing the e-prescription system to triage, fill, and deliver orders, while providing exceptional customer care through various encounters.
Pipefitter
Interpret technical diagrams to install, assess, and adjust a piping structure and regulator, using industry tools (such as pliers) and essential personal protective equipment (PPE) like safety gloves.
Refinery Operator
Observe and evaluate refinery operation through prescribed readings. Practice maintaining flow, level, and pressure through valve operation.
Radiologic Technologist
Take two chest X-rays, an AP (front-to-back) view and a Lateral (side) view. Position the patient correctly, place the X-ray marker, and center the chest before taking each image.
Surgical Technologist
Prepare an operating room for surgery. Apply knowledge of the surgical and sterile field procedures to set up the suite with instruments based on surgeon's requests.

Available Career Packages (Fall 2026)

Packages are subject to availability, event logistics, and program requirements. Packages shown are intended as a preview and are not confirmed until details are reviewed and finalized with the BridgeYear team.

  • Automotive Technician (sponsored by Gulf States Toyota)
  • Electrician
  • HVAC Technician
  • Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN)
  • Network Technician (sponsored by Honeywell)
  • Pipefitter (sponsored by CenterPoint)
  • BridgeYear’s Career Navigation Station
  • Dental Hygienist
  • Diesel Engine Specialist
  • Electrician
  • Pharmacy Technician (sponsored by H-E-B)
  • Radiologic Technologist
  • Surgical Technologist (sponsored by Memorial Hermann)
  • BridgeYear’s Career Navigation Station
  • Automotive Technician (sponsored by Gulf States Toyota)
  • Electrician
  • HVAC Technician
  • Network Technician (sponsored by Honeywell)
  • Pharmacy Technician (sponsored by H-E-B)
  • Pipefitter (sponsored by CenterPoint)
  • BridgeYear’s Career Navigation Station
  • Electrician
  • Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN)
  • Network Technician (sponsored by Honeywell)
  • Pharmacy Technician (sponsored by H-E-B)
  • Pipefitter (sponsored by CenterPoint)
  • Radiologic Technologist
  • Surgical Technologist (sponsored by Memorial Hermann)

BridgeYear's Career Test Drive® Fair in Action!

Schedule an Interest Meeting

Looked around and still have a few questions? Schedule an interest meeting to speak directly with Geraldine Denasty, our Career Exploration Program Manager!

learn MORE ABOUT the careers we offer

Students engaged in career planning, holding informational pamphlets about apprenticeship pathways and skilled trades.

BridgeYear exposes youth to affordable and accessible careers that provide youth economic stability and independence. 

All careers we highlight:

  • Require less than a 4-year degree
  • Are in-demand by employers 
  • Provide a living wage
  • Offer career ladders/opportunities for advancement

Why non 4-year degree pathways?:

Traditional education has long placed great emphasis on four-year degrees, forcing many students – like those who cannot afford college, those with GPAs at or below 2.5 and those who simply aren’t interested in a four-year degree – to disengage from planning their future after high school. This has caused many to feel their only options are unskilled jobs, like in retail or food service, which often offer unstable wages, zero benefits and slim opportunities for advancement.

How do you know employers are in need of BridgeYear’s careers?

Instead of relying solely on workforce data, we partner directly with employers and corporate sponsors to learn what labor gaps they are facing now and in the future so we can help them recruit for their most immediate needs. Currently, we have partnerships with Gulf States Toyota, to promote the career of automotive technician, and the National Kitchen and Bath Association, to promote trade careers in the kitchen and bath industry including Electrician, Finish Carpenter, and Kitchen and Bath Designer.  

How our program impacts advanced youth

Young man assembling a pendant light fixture, demonstrating hands-on skills in the electrical trade, relevant to BridgeYear's apprenticeship programs.

Graduating high schoolers from low-income communities are part of the most vulnerable populations affected by the current crisis. COVID-19 has made their transition to college and the workforce less secure than ever, compromising crucial employment years that impact opportunities to escape poverty. 

According to a national survey conducted by Equitable Futures early in the pandemic, the coronavirus crisis has caused young people to feel great uncertainty about their future. Among a sample of “Black and Hispanic youth and white young people from households with lower incomes,” the percent of those who reported feeling very clear about their future job or career dropped from 43% in 2019 to 27% in 2020. The report also showed that a majority of youth value college differently with nearly 1 in 3 claiming they now think college is not worth pursuing compared to pre-pandemic. Today, this situation is expected to be worse due to plunging community college enrollment (NSCRC) and a 102% increase in student debt over the last decade (US Federal Reserve). These shifts all point to an important reality: youth need help forging non 4-year pathways that won’t trap them in a cycle of poverty.

Advanced youth, especially high school seniors and opportunity youth, have been BridgeYear’s primary programming focus since 2016. Our Career Test Drive® program helps youth plan their path out of high school by exposing them to affordable, in-demand pathways they can pursue immediately.

How our program impacts intermediate youth

Students participating in a hands-on medical training session, practicing skills related to healthcare careers, with a focus on youth engagement in career pathways.

To better prepare all students for opportunities after high school, BridgeYear offers our Career Test Drive® program to 7th-9th graders to increase awareness and strengthen career choice.

For 7th through 9th graders, our program was designed to help students make informed decisions that will prepare them for viable career paths after high school. As a result of House Bill 5, 8th grade students in Texas are asked to select an endorsement area for their high school studies. Selecting an endorsement – and specifically, selecting a Career and Technical Education (CTE) pathway within an endorsement – offers students the opportunity to earn a free, industry-recognized credential. Yet when so few students receive these industry recognized certificates in the greater Houston area, too many students are missing this opportunity to become competitive in today’s workforce. 

By exposing youth to in-demand careers they can get obtain accreditation for during high school, our Career Test Drive® program helps students decide what CTE pathway aligns with their skills and interests and inspires them to optimize their time in high school to succeed in the workforce. 

READ MORE ABOUT facilitation options

Students engaging in hands-on learning during BridgeYear's Career Test Drive program, with an instructor facilitating a Career and Technical Education activity in a classroom setting.

Our Career Lab program offers two facilitation options: our full-service BridgeYear Facilitation option and a Self/Teacher Facilitation option. 

BridgeYear Facilitation

  • BridgeYear manages full setup, refilling and maintenance of all materials.
  • Trained BridgeYear staff facilitate the entire experience in-person and offer students moments of critical thinking and discussion around the activity and career.
 

Available to schools and organizations located within the Greater Houston area. For those outside Houston, BridgeYear Facilitation is available for an additional cost to cover travel. 

Self/Teacher Facilitation

  • BridgeYear ships all materials to you, including extra supplies and refills. 
  • BridgeYear provides videos and an instructors manual that explain each step of the activity for use during classroom facilitation.  
 

Available to schools and organizations located outside the Greater Houston area. For those inside Houston, BridgeYear Facilitation is already factored into your quote.  

READ MORE ABOUT in-class facilitation

Via our full-service model (BridgeYear Facilitation) or through pre-recorded videos (Self/Teacher Facilitation), our Career Lab program will lead your students through in-depth career exploration all from the comfort of your classroom: 

    • Students explore one career per class period.
    • Each Career Lab activity is designed to be completed on student’s desk.
    • Career Labs can be purchased to be reused with multiple class periods. We sell extra materials and refills to ensure you have enough for each student.

This experiential learning program provides schools and teachers an accessible experience they can implement with each class period throughout an entire school day.

READ MORE ABOUT OUR HANDS-ON ACTIVITES

BridgeYear firmly believes that hands-on learning is essential to career exploration and building career identity.

All Career Test Drive® (CTD) Program simulations are designed like science labs in order to:
  • Maximize engagement: Students are more likely to enjoy career exploration if activities are engaging and fun.
  • Mimic real-life careers: By simulating real career tasks, youth are able to determine whether a career fits their interests and skills.

Students need more than just talking, they need doing.

After watching students withdraw from the monotony of career brochures, speakers and staged videos, co-founders Victoria Chen and Victoria Doan reimagined career exploration to provide an immersive, hands-on opportunity for young people to explore their options after high school.

As one student put it: “The [CTD Program] gave me more ideas on what I can become in the future and brought more light to skills I did not know I had.”