Why Should My Child Explore Careers?

Hands-on Career Exploration

There are many ways for your child to "try-on" careers during the middle and high school years.

• Have your child volunteer for organizations that hire people in his or career interest area.
• Let your child take part-time or summer jobs that relate to his or her career interest area.
• Find someone who works in your child's career interest area and arrange for your child to watch that worker for a day.
• Help your child find an internship or work-based learning experience related to his or her career interest area.  Your child may be able to get high school credit for this type of work experience.
• Find out if your child's high school offers vocational classes in a field in which he or she is interested.

Where Can my Child Find Quality Career Information for Exploration?

There are many resources for career exploration.  The career center or library in your child's school may be the first place to start.  Your child's school or local libary may also have a computerized career information delivery system (CIDS) to provide career information to your child.

Every state has a local office of America's Career Resource Network (ACRN).  ACRN is a nationwide network dedicated to helping young people and adults identify and provide the academic and career skills they need to become productive citizens, workers and community members.  You can find the contact information for the ACRN office in your state by going to: http://www.acrenetwork.org and clicking on Network.

For more information:

Occupational Outlook Handbook online at http://stats.bls.gov/oco/

America's Career InfoNet at:  http://www.acinet.org

O*Net: http://online.onetcenter.org

WOIS Portfolio, WOIS/The Career Information System at: http://www.wois.org

Starting the Conversation, Career Development Resources, TExas Workforce Commission at: http://www.gcic.peachnet.edu/CRN/careerMAIN.htm

Your Child's Career, A Website for Parents at: http://www.yourchildscareer.org/careerplanning/careerplan_no_plan.htm

Minnesota Career Guide 2004, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development at: http://www.iseek.org/mncareers/

Why Should My Child Explore Careers?

For your child to make good career decisions, he or she must explore and investigate many careers.  Active participation in career exploration activities will help your child become aware of the many career opportunities available and the steps that need to be taken to reach his or her career goals.  Some advantages of career exploration include:

• Understanding the work environments of interesting careers;
• Exposing yoru child to careers he or she may never have considered; and
• Discovering the various types of post-high school education and training, as well as their costs, so your child does not waste time and money getting training unrelated to his or her chosen career.

Start Career Exploration Early

Career Exploration should begin in middle school.  It should be a continual process throughout your child's middle and high school years.