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Writer's pictureLisa Gardner

Career Planning and Research

Updated: Jul 19


 

Before I begin this article, I heavily encourage you to follow the link and fill out the

BRACE success plan form in under 2 minutes. It is super easy to complete and is an excellent resource for students of all grades. The button below will take you to the form:



 

Overview


High school is a good time to start seriously considering your interests and what career fields might satisfy your personal needs. You should start thinking about your future and considering what you want it to look like. If you can picture where you want to be, it is easier to make the steps to move forward in that direction. You don’t have to know exactly what you want to do, nor do you have to have a major that is set in stone. In fact, according to The National Center for Education Statistics, about 1/3 of students who declare a major within 3 years of initial enrollment change it at least once. So, though you don’t need to have your whole future planned, it is a good idea to put some effort and thought into what your future might look like. What academic subjects interest you? What subjects do you enjoy? Do you want to work in a collaborative/social environment or work independently? How important is salary to your career decision? These are all questions you can start asking yourself to narrow down what can feel like an endless amount of career options.


Career choice is very individual, so make sure you are considering your values and ideals when researching. For instance, if you value being innovative and curious, you might find a job that engages in a lot of research or design exciting, like Engineering. Maybe you find yourself drawn to the idea of helping others stay healthy. In that case, you could explore working as a nurse, aide, or fitness trainer.

There are a lot of resources online and at school that can help you get your career research process started. Career Quizzes are available on a variety of websites, including College Board, which provides a plethora of other resources for college and career planning. I’ll take the time to list some below.


College Board Resources



Career Search

View summaries of careers that include median yearly income, projected job growth, level of education, and general job description. If you click on a career summary, you can access additional information.


Careers Directory

Multiple Pathways to Success

Your Guide to Career Exploration

Majors

Career Clusters



You should also take advantage of your school counselor whenever you have questions or concerns about career and college planning. They can help guide you through the process of planning and clarify what you will need to do to achieve your goals. You can always email your guidance counselor (emails are on the Western website) to schedule a session.




How BRACE Can Help


This year, BRACE is stepping up and offering more resources to students than ever before. We call on students to fill out the BRACE success plan so we can better access students and their personal needs to provide academic support. The success plan can be completed in about a minute at the following link:


The BRACE Club is committed to helping students achieve academic success. We are here to be a resource to students throughout their high school experience and maybe even beyond. If you’re reading this article, Congratulations, you’ve taken the first step in unlocking your full potential with BRACE. Your next step: Fill out the success plan form!

 


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