INDIANAPOLIS (AP): Indiana officials have chosen 16 middle schools across the state for a pilot program that will assess how well eighth-grader students are prepared for college or careers in high-demand fields.

The Indiana Career Explorer‘s pilot program will give eighth-graders classroom instruction to help them assess their current skills, learn more about high-demand jobs and consider what careers they might pursue once they graduate from high school.

State schools Superintendent Jennifer McCormick says the pilot program that starts next spring at the participating schools will be “a great way to introduce students to thinking about their future.”

State lawmakers authorized the pilot program earlier this year. The program is a partnership between the Indiana Department of Education and the state’s Department of Workforce Development.

Area schools participating include Lakeview Middle School in Warsaw and Heritage Junior/Senior High School in Monroeville. Find the full list here.