BridgeYear to Host Community Career Test Drive® Fair in Houston on June 12

BridgeYear’s Career Test Drive® Fair Comes to Houston: 7 Free Career Simulations on June 12

Houston, United States – June 12, 2026 / BridgeYear /

HOUSTON, TX — June 11, 2026 — BridgeYear, a Houston-based youth workforce development nonprofit founded in 2016, will host a community Career Test Drive® Fair on Friday, June 12, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at The Garden, located at 6856 Bellaire Blvd, Building 5, Houston, TX 77074. The event is free and open to the public. No pre-registration or admission fee is required.

The event marks a major community-facing extension of BridgeYear’s signature Career Test Drive® Program. Unlike typical school-based iterations, this upcoming event is intentionally open to local students, families, and community members who may not otherwise have access to structured career exploration programming.

Immersive Career Simulations

Seven employer-sponsored career simulation stations will be active at the fair. Participants will perform actual, hands-on tasks associated with each role under the immediate guidance of working industry professionals.

Key simulation stations include:

Automotive Technician: Sponsored by Gulf States Toyota
Surgical Technologist: Sponsored by Memorial Hermann
Refinery Operator: Sponsored by Phillips 66
Manufacturing Technician: Sponsored by The Friedkin Group & Accelerated Solutions Group
Additional Featured Tracks: Electrician, HVAC Technician, and Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN)

Promoting Middle-Skills Career Pathways

The event’s format provides participants with a direct, experience-based introduction to thriving careers that require short-term certifications or technical training rather than a traditional four-year college degree.

According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, skilled trades and healthcare support occupations are among the fastest-growing employment sectors in Texas, with projected labor demand outpacing current workforce supply in fields like HVAC technology, nursing support, and automotive service. Furthermore, because the Houston metropolitan area employs the single largest concentration of petrochemical workers in the United States, refinery and manufacturing pathways offer immediate, highly localized relevance to the regional workforce.

“The goal of a Career Test Drive® Fair is straightforward: students and young people should have the opportunity to try a career before committing to a training path,” said Victoria Chen, Executive Director of BridgeYear. “For many of the participants we work with, this is their first direct contact with professionals in these fields. That exposure shapes what they consider possible.”

Community Resources & Ecosystem Support

In addition to the physical simulation stations, the event will feature a dedicated community resources area. Attendees can speak directly with representatives from local workforce programs, educational institutions, and social support organizations operating across the Greater Houston area.

Community organizations interested in anchoring a resource table may contact BridgeYear directly through bridgeyear.org.

PROGRAMS

BridgeYear operates three primary programs in the Houston area. The Career Test Drive® program brings employer-sponsored career simulations to middle and high school campuses, serving students in grades 7 through 12. The MorePathways® platform is a publicly accessible database of low-cost, short-term training programs searchable by cost, duration, and location, available at no charge to students and community members. The Career Cohort program provides tuition-free certification training and earn-while-you-learn apprenticeship opportunities for graduating seniors who are not pursuing a two- or four-year college degree.

BridgeYear’s Corporate Partners

BridgeYear operates in partnership with Gulf States Toyota, Memorial Hermann, Phillips 66, The Friedkin Group, Honeywell, and the Greater Houston Community Foundation. The organization serves students across multiple school districts in the Greater Houston area.

About BridgeYear

Founded in 2016 and based in Houston, Texas, BridgeYear is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization connecting underserved youth to careers and educational pathways that provide long-term economic stability and independence. Through practical simulation, digital resources, and targeted training, BridgeYear closes the gap between potential and opportunity. Learn more at www.bridgeyear.org.

Media Contact

Jocelyne Trevino

Senior Communications Manager, BridgeYear

Phone: (832) 579-0294

Website: www.bridgeyear.org

Facebook: facebook.com/BridgeYearProgram

Instagram: @bridgeyear

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/bridgeyear

YouTube: youtube.com/@BridgeYear