Career Kickstart
Career Kickstart. Experience real careers. Make real connections.
Career Kickstart, funded by the Issaquah Schools Foundation, provides free career-readiness opportunities for Issaquah School District high school students. Through hands-on experiences, students learn about careers they are already curious about, as well as ones they may not have previously considered.
Career Kickstart launched in 2025 with an immersive summer program for rising juniors and seniors who applied and were selected through a random lottery process. During the inaugural eight-day program, students participated in skill-building workshops, toured local workplaces, and completed a job shadow experience, gaining firsthand insight into a variety of professional environments and career pathways.
To expand access and reach more students across the district, Career Kickstart is piloting school-based experiences offered throughout the academic year, allowing students to engage in career readiness in accessible, meaningful ways. Together, these opportunities are designed to help students build confidence, connections, and greater clarity as they plan for life after high school.
Learn more below about the Career Kickstart: Summer Immersive program and the school-based Career Kickstart experiences available at each comprehensive high school.
Summer Immersive
School-Based Experiences
Program Impact
Thank you to Issaquah Schools Foundation for funding this program, and to SanMar Corporation, our corporate partner.
