Utica City School District recently hosted a CTE/STEM Expo for 7th graders at SUNY Poly. The goal of the event was to introduce students to a variety of fields, soon to be offered in the new Career and Technical Education (CTE) program. The two-day event brought in over 900 students, interacting with 40+ industry partners from across the region. Industries ranged from a number of categories including: manufacturing, skilled trades, healthcare, cybersecurity, education, and automotive. Nimey Auto Group was able to meet with many engaged and knowledgeable students, eager to learn about what the automotive industry is like. Matt Nimey and Rich Nimey, owners of Nimey Auto Group and NextGen Car Care respectfully, took the lead educating 7th graders on all facets of the engine and battery. Andres Quintana, technician at NextGen Car Care, also had fun interacting and teaching the 7th graders about car parts. There was a major focus on the importance of skilled trade workers and the many positive avenues that come from working in the car business. Not only did they talk about "hands-on" jobs like technicians, but they also discussed roles like public relations, sales and finance as well. There are so many opportunities in the automotive industry, and the students were excited to learn more. Utica City School District will officially begin construction at Proctor High School during the Spring of 2024, preparing for it's launch in Fall 2025. The new CTE addition will house 12 pathways, each selected based on local stakeholder input. The career-focused curriculum will be taught by industry experts, giving opportunities for internships, mentoring, job shadowing and college-level classes. To learn more about the CTE program at USCD, visit their website at www.uticaschools.org/departments/cte.