Career Voyages

Below are four paths to help you get started. We hope that no matter what road you take you find the information and resources you need to help your child make career decisions that are right for them. Good luck!

Where to Start

As your child starts to think about what career may be right for them, here are a few pointers that will help them get started in the right direction:

• The earlier they start thinking about what kind of career they would enjoy, the better off they'll be.
• Get that high school diploma or at least a GED.
• Encourage as many courses in math and science as possible.
• Help them learn to speak and write effectively.

Career Voyages has lots of information to help you learn about:

• different types of careers and,
• the knowledge and skills needed to enter these careers and,
• information about education and training opportunities needed to prepare for a chosen career.

A good resource to help you and your student get started, if they are still in high school is our Career Clusters section.

Career Voyages exists to help Americans find out which occupations are in-demand. To learn more about how these industries and occupations were selected, click here. This web site identifies those high demand occupations-many of which also do not require years and years of schooling. So if your student isn't a bookworm, don't worry. There are, In fact, lots of alternatives to a 4-year degree, including 2-year degrees, apprenticeships, vocational certificates, and work experience.

What should I do first?

• Dive right into one of the industries. Start learning about the kinds of jobs that are in demand.
• Under other stuff, also on the upper left-hand side of your screen, you can sample the Career Videos, featuring real people doing real work.
• Also under other stuff, you can find out what careers are growing in your state and what education and training level these careers require.
• America's Career Resource Network (ACRN) consists of state and federal organizations that provide information, resources and training on career and education exploration. The network is funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education, and operates in every state and territory. Some resources you might find useful are below:
  
  
  • Help Your Child Identify Interests (PDF, 3.1 MB)
  • Help Your Child Make Career Decisions (PDF, 2.6 MB)
  • Why Should My Child Explore Careers? (PDF, 3.0 MB)
  • Work Experience Options for High School Students (PDF, 2.7 MB)
  • Financial Aid Resources for Post-High School Education (PDF, 2.8 MB)
• You can also try our Career Compass to get a sense of which careers might fit your child's interests.

Which Industries are Growing?

In today's world there are never any guarantees, but some careful planning during the initial career exploration may help ensure that the choices your child makes now might lead to a more secure future.

If you have already been in the workforce for some time, you probably already know that it is always changing. You know how important it is to know what's around the bend. Career Voyages is here to try and help you and your child do that.