Futures Fair is a live, virtual event that connects students directly with professionals who are shaping the future in industries they can explore right now. Inspiring speakers will tailor sessions for K-5, 6-8, and 9-12 learners.
Futures Fair session schedule by grade-band track. Select a session for details.
Elementary School Track
Middle School Track
High School Track
10:30 AM ET
Blue Origin
Blast Off: How Do You Build a Rocket?
10:30 to 10:55 AM ET
SpeakerLucas Sonier
Rockets don't build themselves! Meet someone who helps make the machines that fly to space. Find out how parts get made, tested, and put together, and what it takes to launch.
Tech is changing every industry. Meet a professional working at the cutting edge of AI and computing. Learn which skills you can build now to launch your own tech career.
Conserving polar bears takes more than just science! Learn how a conservation outreach manager coordinates educational programs around the world, talks to people of all ages about polar bears, and inspires conservation action everywhere she goes. Her work helps polar bears and people, too!
Behind every pharmacy counter and clinic is a team protecting people's health. Explore the many jobs in public health and safety, and see how you could help your community.
Engineering Your Future: Lessons from 20+ Years in Tech
11:00 to 11:25 AM ET
SpeakerTravis Amrine
Join Qualcomm to learn how a career rooted in engineering leads to opportunities across product development, sales, marketing, business development, and AI technology strategy. You will explore the many pathways into STEM and discover how curiosity, adaptability, and problem-solving can open doors to a wide range of technology careers.
Become a chip engineer for a day! Students will explore what's inside a microchip, discover how tiny parts work together, and see how chips power computers, phones, and other everyday technology.
Who decides which costumes, instruments, and handwritten lyrics go on display? Take a peek at how curators turn music history into exhibits that you can see and feel.
What happens when a product fails or a fire starts? Join Ben Smith, Senior Forensic Consultant at The Hartford, to discover how engineers and investigators use science, critical thinking, and curiosity to solve real-world mysteries and uncover answers to complex problems.
Understanding and Conserving Polar Bears through Science
12:00 to 12:25 PM ET
SpeakerAlysa McCall
We can’t put a fence around Arctic sea ice, can’t grow more of it whenever we want, and can’t hire patrols to protect it - so how can we conserve this habitat for the world’s biggest bear? Alysa has worked with polar bears for over 16 years and is excited to share her knowledge and insights with you!
Tech for Good: Using Big Ideas to Solve Big Problems
12:00 to 12:25 PM ET
SpeakerJinnyn Jacob
Consulting, technology, and giving back can all be part of one career. Jinnyn leads her company's philanthropic strategy. Learn how organizations partner to tackle real-world challenges, and how you can build a career with purpose.
Reimagine Your Denim: Creativity, Innovation, and the Future of Fashion
12:30 to 12:55 PM ET
Discover how creative thinking and craftsmanship can transform the clothes we already own. Join a designer from Levi's to explore how fashion is evolving through repair, customization, and thoughtful design. Learn how small choices can extend the life of clothing, reduce waste, and inspire new ways of expressing personal style.
Manufacturing is more than making things. It is a pathway to innovation, entrepreneurship, and purpose-driven careers. Through a real-world career journey spanning aerospace, workforce development, and company leadership, students will learn how manufacturing skills can help them build products, solve problems, start businesses, and create an impact greater than they ever imagined.
Science That Heals: Exploring Biotech Breakthroughs with Genentech
12:30 to 12:55 PM ET
Step inside the world of biotechnology with a professional from Genentech, a leader in cutting-edge medical innovation. Learn how science, technology, and a passion for helping others come together to develop life-changing medicines. Discover the career journey of a Genentech expert, explore how biotech is transforming healthcare, and find out what it takes to thrive in one of the most exciting fields in science today.
Using Your Voice for Good: Creating Change Through Media and Community
1:00 to 1:25 PM ET
SpeakerAva Goldson Crews
Can a career help shape the future of your community? Join Warner Bros. Discovery to learn how a passion for helping others can become a career that connects people with opportunities, drives positive change, and creates impact far beyond the screen.
Decode Your DNA: A Day in the Life of a Genomics Scientist
1:00 to 1:25 PM ET
SpeakerAngela Nicholson-Shaw
Every living thing has a code written in its DNA. This speaker's team builds tools that read it. Discover how scientists solve mysteries about health and life, one gene at a time.
Driving the Future: Engineering, Design, and Mobility
1:00 to 1:25 PM ET
From electric vehicles to robotics, Honda is rethinking how we move. Explore the teams who design, build, and test what's next, and the careers that put you in the driver's seat.
From Science Fair to Startup: Turning Big Ideas into Reality
1:30 to 1:55 PM ET
Meet a former student inventor who took the skills gained through the 3M Young Scientist Challenge beyond the competition and into the business world. Learn how STEM, creativity, and determination helped turn an innovative idea into a company, and explore how young people can develop the confidence and problem-solving abilities needed to create meaningful change. From scientific discovery to entrepreneurship, this session highlights the many paths innovation can take.
Scammers are experts at earning trust, creating urgency, and exploiting technology. This session pulls back the curtain on the methods they use and shares insights from real-world scam investigations. Students will learn how to identify common warning signs, think critically about online interactions, and develop habits that help them stay safe in an increasingly connected world.
Steel in Action: Building the Foundation of the Future
1:30 to 1:55 PM ET
SpeakerJames McCoy
What happens between an idea and a finished steel product? Armor Technical Services Manager James McCoy will share how he works with customers and Nucor teams across the country to develop advanced steel products and solve real-world challenges. Learn how collaboration, innovation and problem-solving help create steel solutions that support critical applications, from submarines for the U.S. Navy to the infrastructure that powers our everyday lives.
The Discovery Education Futures Fair is a one-day, interactive event designed to bring real-world career exploration directly into K-12 classrooms. On Wednesday, November 18, students will join live, virtual 25-minute sessions that connect them with professionals across STEM, the arts, skilled trades, entrepreneurship, public service, and more.
Join one session or many. Students get real-world insights, diverse career paths, and the confidence to imagine their futures. And the best part? Futures Fair is fully supported by Discovery Education and our corporate partners, making it easy for classrooms to prep and participate. You just click and connect.
Who is the event for?
Educators and classrooms of K-12 students can participate in activities created for the appropriate grade band: elementary, middle, or high school.
What is the format?
The Futures Fair is a half-day virtual event designed to fit into your school day. Educators can choose from a schedule of sessions, each 25 minutes long and accessible via a Zoom link. Throughout the day, the three tracks of sessions are tailored to K-5, 6-8, and 9-12 grade students.
What will my students gain?
Inspiring speakers will share how the skills students are building today open doors to exciting opportunities tomorrow. The Futures Fair helps students connect classroom learning to real-world professional experiences and aligns to district goals for future readiness. Resources provided before and after each session will help educators keep the learning going. Plus, the Futures Fair requires no extra planning from educators: Discovery Education is the only organization that safely and effectively makes it easy for classroom educators to connect students with corporate professionals through trusted content, vetted speakers, and strong business partnerships.
How can I keep career exploration going throughout the academic year?
Imagine if every student could see, hear, and interact with the people shaping the world they'll one day lead. That's exactly what Discovery Education makes possible, every month of the school year.
Help your students stay engaged and future-focused all year long. When learners have access to high-quality, relevant content, they become more curious, motivated, and confident and Discovery Education makes that easy. Our K-12 solutions integrates career exploration directly into daily instruction, giving educators practical ways to connect classroom learning to real-world opportunities.
90% of students say early career exposure boosts their confidence.
93% of teachers agree career-readiness experiences shape how students think about their futures.
Nearly 70% of students say they'd try harder if they saw a connection between learning and future goals.
By making career-connected learning a consistent part of instruction, you help students see what's possible and keep more pathways open as they grow.
If your district doesn't already partner with Discovery Education, we offer a robust collection of free career-exploration resources. This content is created in partnership with business leaders across high-growth industries, and designed by our instructional team to support your HQIM. These resources include:
Our Career Finder Tool and Career Profiles, made possible by our STEM Careers Coalition, help students explore paths aligned with their interests.
Register Today!
Explore Career Connect
Available through Discovery Education Experience, Career Connect is a free, easy-to-use resource that helps educators bring career exploration into the classroom through virtual visits with industry professionals. Teachers can find and request guest speakers based on career fields, industries, and student interests, giving students the chance to hear firsthand about different careers, ask questions, and discover how what they're learning in school connects to the world around them.
Ready to spark curiosity? Discover how Discovery Education Experience and Career Connect can help you introduce students to new people, perspectives, and possibilities.
