"IF THEY KNOW, THEY WILL COME:" Collaboration between Penn State Harrisburg SDCET Program and Secondary Education

High school graduates continuing their formal schooling at higher education institutions may experience confusion as they explore and try to understand possible careers related to majors they think they want to pursue.High school counselors and teachers strive to keep abreast of the changes and advancements in new and transforming careers in order to properly advise students.This information is important as students schedule classes during their high school and apply to colleges/universities that offer those majors.However, high school counselors and teachers have more responsibilities to inform students, and their guidance and instructional personnel may not be able to keep up with, the advancements and changes in careers.As a result, the college's relationships to secondary education schools are a critical element to their success, particularly for specialized majors.These programs must strive to foster and strengthen these relationships that will benefit their programs as well as their graduates and chosen professions.This paper will discuss the relationship between Penn State Harrisburg's construction program and secondary education.Penn State Harrisburg's program engages in outreach activities that encourage schools to invite our representatives into their classrooms to partner with them and also by allowing secondary education students to shadow with professors.This relationship results students in becoming more aware of the numerous aspects of the construction industry, its changes, and the career opportunities available to them.The initiatives are outstanding examples of a win-win relationship for a university program, secondary education and more importantly the students.This paper also shows that through the relationship between the university program and secondary education high schools also have recognized Penn State Harrisburg's construction degree as an exceptional major.