Career Planning

• Many students see career planning as something that begins once they have graduated from high school or college. On the contrary, career planning is a process that should begin even before high school and continue throughout life. At the high school level, perhaps the best way of starting to plan for a career is to begin the process of self-exploration. This process allows you to think about your:Skills and Abilities

• Interests

• Personal Priorities

• Training and Education

• Life Experiences

College or Other Options?

There are many options for career planning after high school. Would you like to go to university? A career or vocational college or institute? Enlist in the military? Perhaps you want to find an internship that allows you to explore your career choice further before making a commitment. Some students take a year off between high school and college, a "gap year," to either refine their interests, perform community service or fulfill a goal or dream.

An Alternative Fourth Year

Many students are not yet ready or prefer not to go directly to college or other degree-granting educational programs immediately after completing high school. While some of these students may choose to join the military, or work full time before enrolling at a college, many others seek some alternatives for a single transition year, such as a travel adventure or an internship experience.

Apprenticeship Training

An apprenticeship is a formal way of learning a skill or trade by working with someone who works at a particular job. Apprenticeship programs almost always include class study along with a full-time job. Apprenticeships usually cover periods of time specified by the government or labour unions. Time spent in an apprenticeship depends on the difficulty of the skill to be learned. While most programs a take as long as three or four years, a few can be as short as two years or as long as five or six years. One advantage of some apprenticeships is that the apprentice can be paid while learning a skill. The number of apprenticeship openings is limited and not all qualified applicants can enter such programs. Tests and personal interviews are often required. Occupations with apprenticeship training include carpentry, plumbing, etc.

Business, Trade or Technical Programs

Students may opt to pursue further training in business, trade or technical programs. Many regional vocational technical schools offer many such programs. The training provided is practical and prepares students for employment in specific fields. Students can be trained in administrative skills, computer programming, electronics, auto repair, cosmetology, drafting, health occupations, travel and tourism, and many other careers. Job placement services are usually available upon completion of a program. The length of a program varies from several weeks to several years. Costs can also vary depending upon the length and quality of training.

Correspondence Study

This is a way of continuing education if the student cannot or does not wish to attend formal classes. Many correspondence courses help an individual learn a specialized skill. The student is usually required to pass tests before receiving credit. Cost is not high and students can work full-time while studying in their spare time. Jobs are as diverse as accountant, radio/TV repairer, locksmith, robotics technician, gem identification, appliance repair, and legal assistant.

Military Training

Branches of the military offer training in almost 1,500 different occupations. Many of these are similar to occupations found in civilian life. The training varies a great deal in length of time and may include classroom study, on-the-job training, or both. Enlistees are paid while they receive their training. The military prepares persons for a variety of jobs including aircraft mechanic, heavy equipment operator, computer or electronics technician, meteorologist, fire fighter, and welder.