There are many pathways for students to follow, figuring out what is best may take time. Students should reach out to their school counselors early on in high school, to discuss their interests and start planning for the future.
Alternatives to Post-Secondary Education
The goal of these alternatives is to help students and families understand that college is not the only path to pursue after high school. Young people today have many options that will meet their personal goals and help them to achieve their dreams.
2-Year College: Two-year community colleges offer open-door admissions and lower tuition rates. Students who complete associate degrees and certificates are more likely to move into higher-status management and professional positions with higher earnings.
Studies done in 2021 show that Associate Degree Holders make $15,000 more than high school graduates.
Military Service: Military service is not only honorable but also provides unparalleled benefits later down the line by greatly reducing the costs of higher education and housing.
Students who pursue an ROTC program have their post-secondary education fully paid for if they commit to joining the service upon graduation.
Trade Certificate Programs: Trade certifications are career-specific programs that teach students how to perform particular jobs or develop important skill sets
Gap Year: A gap year provides students the opportunity to foster critical skills and gain knowledge that can't be learned in the classroom.
In a 2015 national alumni survey conducted by the American Gap Association in conjunction with Temple University, 98% said their year had helped them develop as a person, 96% found it increased their self-confidence, and 93% agreed that it had increased their communications skills.
Apprenticeship: Apprenticeships combine on-the-job training and instruction to expose students to the practical aspects of a skilled occupation. Some programs also offer dual accreditation through post-secondary institutions and permit students to receive an associate degree.
Nationwide in 2021, there were over 593,000 apprentices obtaining the skills they need to succeed while earning the wages they need to build financial security.
Find Alternative Pathways to a Career https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/
Students in grades 9-12 hav access to the Naviance website, which has Career Search Tools. Various lessons such as the Career Interest Profiler, the Strengths Assessment, and many more are pushed out to students in all grades to complete and explore. Students can access their Naviance site here: https://student.naviance.com/herricks
Naviance Tools - The career planning and assessment tools in Naviance allow students to realize their strengths, goals, knowledge, values, and interests in future careers, to help them work toward a path that is inspiring to them. Naviance helps high school students connect interests to career fields, identify best-fit careers, learn from leaders, and plan for life after high school.
Self-Assessments - AchieveWORKS assessments by Human eSources support a personalized learning approach, helping students understand their personality type, learning styles, and unique bits of intelligence. Together, the assessments provide a comprehensive profile of student's strengths and personal attributes that gives students the tools they need to take charge of their own learning.
Do What You Are® focuses on personality type, which is really about behavior and personal values.
The Learning Style Inventory provides insight into environments and situations where students are most productive and receptive to learning.
MI AdvantageTM digs deeply into cognitive patterns that reveal a student’s inclination for certain skills and knowledge.
Career Assessment - Career Key is an online career assessment for middle and high school students based on Holland’s highly respected and research-based interest codes. Career Key's scientific matching system enables students to identify careers and college majors that match their interests, traits, skills, and abilities.
Career Cluster Finder – This online questionnaire helps students discover career clusters that are most interesting to them.
Career Interest Profiler – This profiler uses Holland’s Code (Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional) to match careers to students’ interests. Students can view matching occupations, and explore possible majors and colleges.
Career Videos - Roadtrip Nation has 3,500+ video interviews chronicling the diverse personal stories of leaders who have turned their interests into their life’s work.
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