Blog #8- Testing the waters before diving in
One of the biggest questions you hear in high school is, "What do you want to do for your career?" High School students are young, 14-18 years old, and many do not know what they want to do. This question is important in college because it is a big commitment. You are committing time, money, and work for another few years. High school offers ways to find out what interests you by talking with counselors, taking career tests, and what classes they have enjoyed. Many people still don't feel they know what they want to do after high school. A survey was taken by 500 high school students, resulting in 40% feeling unprepared to make a career choice and 37% of graduates still trying to figure out what they want to do. College is usually the next step after high school, and many people are still deciding what they want to major in.
A big stress with college is affording it; people can't afford not to know what they want to do. One great way to solve this problem is to intern or work in the field you wish to pursue in high school.
"An internship is a professional learning experience that offers meaningful, practical work related to a student's field of study or career interest" (UMBC).
High schoolers' most common jobs are food preparation and serving and cashiers. This can be at any company, but primarily jobs that are not career-driven. While those jobs are necessary and suitable for high schools because of low stress and reasonable hours, looking more into the career you want to pursue is helpful. An internship can last from a few weeks to a few months, depending on where and what time of year you do it. Internships are offered during the summer, winter, and academic year. It is a great way to find out more about a field or career and if you enjoy it.
I discovered I wanted to enter nursing by working as a nursing assistant at 16. I had to take a CNA (certified nursing assistant) course, which was four weeks long, and then I started working at a long-term care facility. I realized I loved patient care and learned more about what a nurse is. I then decided to go into nursing and now work at a hospital. I love nursing even more. I am glad I decided to try out the healthcare field, as I knew it was what I wanted before going to college for it. Some people change their careers halfway through college or after, but doing an internship or working in your field of interest can help you find out what job you want to pursue.
Thank you for reading!
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