A Recap of WaterWORKS 2026 Career Day
Held on January 13, 2026 at Cape Cod Community College
West Barnstable, MA - We were thrilled to welcome nearly 220 high school students from 11 schools in the Cape & Islands region to the campus of Cape Cod Community College for a fun-filled day interacting with 40+ exhibitors representing the best of what the Blue Economy has to offer. After arriving on campus and registering, students and their chaperones gathered inside Tilden Performing Arts Center for a brief morning assembly, where they learned a little bit about what it means to be part of the Blue Economy Business sector. Presenters included:
- Sheila Vaughn, Director of Admissions, Cape Cod Community College - Organizational Sponsor
- Chris Clark, Vice President of Finance and Operations, Cape Cod Community College - Organizational Sponsor
- Catherine Clark, Vice President of Community Engagement, Housing Assistance - Lunch Sponsor
- Dan Schell, Customer Service and Outreach Manager, Cape Light Compact - Presenting Sponsor
- Justin Grota, Workforce Development Manager, MassHIRE Cape & Islands Workforce Board - Organizational Sponsor
Afterwards, student groups visited exhibitors located in several buildings across campus, learning about the diverse career opportunities on, in, or near the water. They also had the opportunity to listen to panel discussions organized by MassHire Cape & Islands Workforce Board.
To learn more about our 2026 WaterWORKS exhibitors, panelists, and sponsors, view the event page.
Favorite part of the day (as told to us by exhibitors)
"I love meeting students who are really interested and ask unexpected questions."
"It was great to hear the students play the shellfish natural history/identification game and say, 'Oh Mr. Lawrence taught us that!' It was good to know they were making real world connections to things they were taught in the classroom."
"The students' enthusiasm reminds me of why I got into the field in the first place."
"Interacting with the students is so valuable for us, as our program primarily recruits post-college. This event allows us to get them excited earlier and possibly remember us for the future."
