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Let's revisit the question you've been asked since you were five years old, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" Maybe you know exactly what you want to do, maybe you have no idea. Either way is totally fine! Finding the right career can be a lifetime journey- on average a person will change careers 3-7 times in their working life- so don't feel discouraged if you don't know quite yet.
Here are some helpful websites you can use to explore career options:
On California Colleges, you can take an interest profiler assessment and view careers that match your interests. There is also a career search tool that shows required skills, education, and potential salary for a wide variety of careers.
On California Career Zone, you can take career-related assessments (Interest profiler, skills profiler, work importance profiler) and view occupations based on your results. Explore careers, colleges, and majors. Create a free account to access job application tools including resume and cover letter builders.
On Learn How to Become, you can explore different career pathways, find out what type of education is required, and find schools that offer those majors. This site features step-by-step instructions for how to attain your dream job along with a breakdown of what to expect from that career (job description, salary, etc.).
On SOCAL (Student Opportunities for Career Awareness and Learning), you can browse by industry, company, or career. This collaborative project features jobs and companies specific to North County San Diego.
Internships vs. Apprenticeships
Internships vs. Apprenticeships
Internships are a great way to get real life experience in the field you are interested in; to gain knowledge, make connections and see if this is the type of career you'd like to pursue. Not to mention it looks amazing on applications and resumes! They may be paid or unpaid and the goal is for you to learn.
Apprenticeships are always paid and the goal is to train you to work in a specialized field, such as construction, electrical, auto, etc. They typically last two to four years. You work (and earn money!) while you learn and at the end of the program, you are ready to enter that field as a professional. This is an excellent avenue to take if you plan to pursue a career in one of these specific fields. Check out this list of apprenticeship opportunities in California!
Apprenticeships are intended as a pathway for after you graduate high school while internships you can start participating in during high school. Though it should be noted that most internships and internship search sites are geared towards college students, there are plenty of companies willing to let high school students intern. If you're having trouble finding one online try reaching out to a company you're interested in and ask if they offer any intern positions (have a resume ready!). If they don't, try asking if they have any shorter-term opportunities like job shadowing.
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