Career Exploration

Career exploration offers students and their families valuable tools to help align their educational plans with student interests, values, and career goals, providing insight into potential careers and the skills and credentials needed in various career fields.

Start Here Guide:

Career Exploration Start Here Guide

Quick Guide PDFs:

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GEAR UP Kentucky 

Check out Kentucky's GEAR UP 4 SUCCESS F.A.C.E.S courses for grades 9-12 to help students prepare for college, career, and beyond!

Foundational Tools & Resources

Resources for Practitioners

Begin career planning with your students with this conversation guide for middle and high school students. 

Explore CTE and career pathways resources using this exploration tool. 

Learn more about Kentucky's Academic Standards for Career Studies and Financial Literacy.

Explore careers by skills and abilities, salary, major or certification, and desired occupation.

Learn more about how students can earn up to 60 credit hours tuition free in high demand career fields, with no work or apprenticeship experience required. 

Find out how to best support undocumented students navigate their journey from college to career. 

Get more information on the various types of work-based learning opportunities such as job shadowing, mentoring, service learning, entrepreneurship programs, school-based enterprises, internship, cooperative education and youth-apprenticeship opportunities.

Learn more about this Youth Apprenticeship Program that provides secondary students with pathway opportunities into Registered Apprenticeship programs. This is a partnership between Kentucky Department of Education's CTE office and Kentucky Office of Apprenticeships. 

Learn more about this free education and training program for young people ages 16-24. Through the program, participants receive hands-on career training, as well as support services such as housing, health care, and meals. The program is administered by the U.S. Department of Labor.

Find out more information on Kentucky's Work Ready Scholarship opportunities for graduated students who have not earned an associate's degree and interested in obtaining an industry recognized credential or diploma. 

Resources for Students and Families

Learn more about CTE programs and its requirements. 

Find career, training, job search, and scholarship resources. 

Explore careers by skills and abilities, salary, major or certification, and desired occupation.

Find out information on what CTE courses are required for CTE pathway completion.  

Identify course credit type and transferability to Kentucky institutions through this searchable database. 

Identify apprenticeships, get support with building a resume or finding a job, and connect with people in the field.