How to get Younger People to Buy into the Concept of Career Development at a Younger Age

By Roxanne Hughes

Youth are faced with an abundant array of career choices in today’s labour market. Interestingly enough, many youth are not fully informed of the options available nor of their personal suitability to embark on a specific career. Often times, youth leave high school not really connected to their career path. They may attend college/university with the plans of completing a Bachelor of Arts degree and may find the courses meaningless, generalized and lacking in career purpose. Eventually students may find or “bump” into their career. Other youth may forgo post secondary education and enter directly into the labour market. Low paying jobs are available in abundance and youth may move from one low paying job to another. Eventually most people tire of employment for the sake of employment and strive to find greater purpose and passion in their career path.

There are exceptions to the rules and some youth know from an early age, what their career path will be and how they will get there. These youth are focused. They take courses in high school that are relevant to their career goals, they seek volunteer and employment opportunities that give them exposure to the type of occupation that they intend to join. Post secondary education is meaningful, interesting and invigorating. These youth join the workforce with a sense of purpose, excitement and newly developed skills.

We have the ability to help our youth to move from a state of not knowing what to do with their lives, to a state of direction and action. We need to do this with intention on our part. We need to embrace the value and importance of assisting youth to discover their short, medium and long term career goals. When we, as adults, value career planning we are able to integrate meaningful career planning into our youth’s lives.

Youth tend to have very limited knowledge of the 40,000 plus careers that are available to them. They are typically exposed to occupations that their family or social network are involved in. They also have knowledge about professions in the health care field, the education system, and the service industry (e.g. restaurants, retail business, municipal services, police, fire, ambulance). Exposure to television, news media, reading, and the internet further expand their understanding of careers, yet these experiences can be limited.

So how do we capture youth who have not yet left the school system so that their next steps are filled with intention and meaning? We actively and conscientiously introduce them to the broad range of careers available. While in English class, teachers can include in the curriculum what career possibilities relate to a specialization in English. The same opportunities exist within math, social sciences, languages, physical education and other courses the student would take.

In all grades, teachers could invite guest speakers to the class to discuss their careers and what the job entails. Students in grade 12 could be given opportunities to learn what career exploration, job search and job training programs are available. Providing students with opportunities to attend community and school career resource fairs, and have guest speakers from community career resources, would provide students with a broader understanding of the occupational options available to them.

School and community-based career planning programs play a significant role in introducing students to the broad range of career options for youth. Helping youth to understand their personality and interests and how these are best suited to specific occupations will help them to understand themselves better. In doing so, students can be exposed to a broad range of occupations that individuals with similar interests and personalities enjoy. This process plays a significant role in youth creating and validating their career path. Once students know what their occupational goals are, they become invigorated in the process and engage in their own education in a much more meaningful way. They know where they are going and how to get there.

A youth that can visualize his/her future, has a future. There are only gains to be made by providing youth with career exploration opportunities.

Roxanne Hughes, rhughes@pcrs.ca, is the Program Coordinator for the Career Quest Program, a 2-6 week career exploration program for youth. The program is situated in Surrey, B.C. and is operated by Pacific Community Resources www.pcrs.ca.