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| College and Career Planning - What's Next? |
Choosing a career path after high school
Want to become a teacher? A cosmetologist? A lawyer? How about opening an auto body shop? High school will be over soon and only you can decide what’s next! College? Tech School? Job? Military? It’s time to think about your future.
Lookin’ Good! Careers that require college degrees pay, on the average over a lifetime, more that those that do not. There are many types of college with a huge selection of career fields to choose from. And even if you are undecided about your exact career choice (half of college students are still undecided or switch majors after two years), there are plenty opportunities to switch majors or career paths without losing time, money, or credits. College is a time to explore and match your interests with your
abilities.
A college degree shows future employers you’ve been trained to think out of the box, solving problems that you, or maybe anyone, has never encountered before. That increases your value to employers, and that means greater opportunities and earning potential. Bureau of Labor statistics show that workers with Bachelors degrees have half the unemployment and 54% higher salaries, on average, than those with high school diploma’s.
Private Career and Technical Schools: Maryland has hundreds, with great career training in fields from cosmetology to computer networks, real estate to commercial truck driving, dental assistant to air conditioning tech. Course work range from one week to several years. Many offer financial aid and career placement, and most combine hands-on experience with classroom work.
Apprenticeships: Earn money and learn on the job. Companies, unions and governments all offer apprenticeship, programs for as little as one or up to six years. Check out some of these careers: electrician, insurance adjuster, flight attendant, police officer, fire fighter, plumber, brick layer, tool and die maker, corrections officer, postal carrier, operating engineer. Training is usually split between classroom and the job, and the cost is typically low, with employers picking up most of the tab.
Community College: They offer certificate and Letter of Recognition programs, with careers such as medical transcriptionist, legal secretary, computer graphics, teacher’s aide, and emergency medical technician. Associate degrees might include criminal justice, nursing, office technology, accounting, physical therapist assistant, and legal studies. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of jobs requiring an Associates degree will increase by a larger percentage (35%) through 2010 than any other job requirement category or degree.
Military: The five branches of the U.S. Military, including Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, offer more than 300 different schools and 10,000 courses of instruction. Skills you gain in the military can be valuable when transferred to civilian life. And through the Montgomery GI Bill, you could qualify for assistance with school costs once you leave the service.
Not to worry. You are definitely not alone. But it’s not too early to start thinking about your career options.
Explore Your Interests: What do you like, and what are you good at? Try a career assessment like the ones on Careernet.
Do Your Homework: This may be your most important homework assignment. Making informed career decisions requires the right information about opportunities that will be available in the near future. What’s hot, what’s not. How does it pay off? And what careers fit your style, personality, and interests? While you may switch jobs, or even careers, several times over your life, you’ll always be happiest if you’re doing what you really like to do.
Narrow the List Down: What types of companies hire people in your field(s)? What training/education is required? Where will you have to go or live to receive that education or work in that field? Narrow down the list to two or three choices at most, and then sit down and discuss them with people who know and people you trust: Parents, coaches, guidance counselors, clergy, older brothers or sisters, friends. Don’t get caught up in the gravity of the decision, because people don’t always make the right decision the first time. But go with your gut instincts into a career that you know will make you happy. As we said, only you know what that will be.
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