CAREER PLANNING

Some students are interested in immediately entering the workforce for a year or two after high school before deciding on their college path. Even if you start at minimum wage, things like showing up early and staying late, having integrity in the workplace, and treating customers and coworkers with respect will move you up the chain. Believe it or not, those seemingly simple characteristics are in high demand.

By working full-time at a fast food joint, or as a barista, or doing landscaping, you’ll learn invaluable life lessons. You’ll learn about customer service, about working even when you don’t want to, about budgeting your income, about balancing life and work. Those are things that many people don’t learn until they’re out of college.

If after a couple of years of working you decide to go to college, you’ll be two years more mature, and you’ll have money in the bank to help you pay tuition. While wages are lower and unemployment is higher for those with only a high school degree, a little bit of elbow grease can go a long way.

Career Search

Did you know you can use SchooLinks to search for and research different careers? Once logged into SchooLinks, click on Activities and select Assessments.  Find your path, Would you rather, and Top skills will help students learn about what they like and match their skills to possible careers.

Experience 

 In addition to the classes you take while in high school, it is also important to be actively involved on and off campus to gain valuable experience, as well as discover areas of interest. This can be done through clubs, sports, volunteering, jobs, internships, summer programs, etc!

CAREER RESOURCES

SchooLinks - Career searches, including educatin required, occupational outlook, and average salaries across the US

Texas Workforce Commission - Resources, tips, and tools to build a stronger Texas workforce.

CareerOneStop - Toolkit to help you research career information, training, or jobs
America's Career Resource Network

Own Your Own Future

Texas Reality Check - a Lifestyle calculator that will show you how much your living expenses will cost and the amount of money you will need to earn to pay for them.

U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Outlook Handbook - Offers information on job responsibilities, earnings, working conditions, and job prospects for the future.

ASVAB CEP - ASVAB Career Exploration program helps students match their vocational aptitudes to careers.