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Career Options and Opportunities: What's in Your Future?

By KRISTEN STERNBERG
NIE EDUCATIONAL CONSULTANT

Do you ever wonder why adults often ask you what you want to be when you grow up? One answer may be because your career can be a fulfilling part of your adult life. Kids often know from an early age what interests them and what kinds of things they're good at. Are you a science whiz, or an outstanding sports player or dancer? Do you have musical talent, or facility with a foreign language? Whatever your interests, if you put your brain to work you will probably be able to find a job in a field that matches your skills and interests.

Just a few decades ago, after a person graduated from high school or college, he or she probably chose a job and settled into it-and stuck with it! Changing careers was not a thing most people considered. Nowadays, however, it's not uncommon for people to change careers one or more times between graduation and retirement. Still, you have to start somewhere, don't you? For that reason, many youths are contemplating their career options. In a recent newspaper article, you can read about what some teens consider to be interesting job choices.

A lot of career options available in today's world require a college education or vocational or technical training. For this reason (among others) many students are planning to continue their education after graduating from high school. In addition to working toward the degree necessary to pursue their chosen professions, college students generally have opportunities to sample various subjects. They choose classes in several disciplines, for example art, science and history, which may open their eyes to not only a variety of careers but help them identify their own interests.

You can find opportunities to explore various careers by taking classes at local museums, libraries, businesses and summer camps, to name a few. Job shadowing is one option. You can also take advantage of what your own school offers! From shop classes (does working in a trade interest you?) to mock trials (how about a job in the judicial system?) and more, schools frequently offer chances to check out various career fields.

Suppose you have your heart set on a certain career. How can you make yourself stand out among others who may want to apply for similar jobs? One way is to volunteer your time and services in that field. Many prospective employers are impressed by those who can show volunteer experience on their applications or resumes.

Several News-Journal articles have featured people in unusual jobs. Read about how one woman's passion led her to a career with horses, and then take a look at the reality behind the "glamour" as you read about a local private investigator!

Everybody is good at something! Have you found your interests yet? Whether you have already identified your career plans, or whether you are just "looking around," you're bound to learn more about yourself as well as about different kinds of careers by checking out the newspaper activities and Web links provided below.

Try these interesting activities using The News-Journal!

1. Scan several Help Wanted ads listed in your newspaper to determine what kinds of information employers typically provide (examples are job description, salary, hours per week, and experience and education required). Choose a book character you admire, and create your own Help Wanted ad describing a job for which your character would be qualified. (Sunshine State Standards: LA.A.2.2.5, LA.B.1.2.2, LA.B.2.2.6, LA.E.1.2.3, LA.E.2.2.3, LA.E.2.2.4, LA.E.2.2.5)




Challenge yourself From river clean up to trail maintenance, there are many opportunities in our area to test your talents. (Photo: The News-Journal)

2. More and more careers require employees with computer skills. Scan your newspaper to find advertisements for computer and technology training. Make a list of the degree programs each school or training facility offers. Which of these programs do you find the least interesting? Which interests you most? (Sunshine State Standards: LA.A.2.2.5, LA.B.2.2.1, LA.B.2.2.6, LA.D.2.2.3)



3. Find one Help Wanted ad that lists an hourly salary, and one that provides a yearly salary. Using the hourly salary, assume that you work 40 hours per week in that job. Compute your weekly salary. How much would you make per year? Now, do the opposite for the position you selected with a yearly salary, dividing it to find your weekly pay. (You may assume unless you read otherwise that the position requires 40 hours work per week.) Compute how much you would make per hour at that job. Finally, compare the salaries listed for the two jobs. (Sunshine State Standards: MA.A.1.2.2, MA.A.3.2.2, MA.A.3.2.3, MA.B.1.2.2, MA.B.3.2.1, MA.B.4.2.1)



4. What do you dream of working at when you're grown? Using the Help Wanted section of your newspaper, find a job or career that interests you. First, determine what skills are needed to perform the job. Imagine you are applying for that position. Write a letter of application to your prospective employer listing the reasons you feel your skills qualify you for the job. Next, think about the physical activities a typical day at your workplace might involve. Would you be likely to sit and stand often? Run, or dance? Wave your arms, or climb stairs? Act out several of the motions you feel you would probably perform in that job. (Sunshine State Standards: LA.A.1.2.1, LA.A.1.2.2, LA.B.1.2.2, LA.B.2.2.3, LA.B.2.2.6, LA.D.1.2.2, PE.A.2.2.2, PE.C.1.2.1, PE.C.2.2.1)



5. Before you share or recycle the newspaper you've been using for these activities, why not take some time to consider a career in the newspaper business? Are newspaper reporting and journalism exciting to you? What about drawing cartoons? Would you like to write an advice column? As you read through the paper, clip a sample of every type of newspaper job you identify. Remember that some newspaper jobs are behind the scenes, so you'll have to be creative to find clippings to represent them! (What might you clip out to represent a newspaper editor? What about an advertiser?) Have fun with this activity. Expert sleuths will be able to find more than a dozen different newspaper careers! Use your clippings to create a poster showing various newspaper occupations. Be sure to label your samples. (Sunshine State Standards: LA.A.1.2.2, LA.A.2.2.8, LA.C.2.2.1, VA.A.1.2.1, VA.B.1.2.1)

A copy of Florida's Sunshine State Standards can be found at intech2000.miamisci.org.

Check out these links to learn more:

Journalism, nursing, science and sports are just a few of the many careers you can explore at this PBS (public television) site. Check it out, along with some of the Web links it offers-you may find some unusual careers that will surprise you! (www.pbs.org)

Take a look at the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Web site, where you'll find fascinating careers organized by topics that include Music/Arts, Math and Physical Education & Outdoors. (www.stats.bls.gov)

Learn about what people do at work and how they make our world a better place at Career Kids. (www.careerkids.com)

Have you ever wondered what life would be like as a veterinarian? What about joining the Air Force? At FirstGov for Kids they've got the links to help answer these and many other questions regarding careers. (www.kids.gov)

You can also check out these Careers in Earth Science. Here you can choose one of their professions and see how it relates to your skills and abilities, and a possible career in Earth Science. (kids.earth.nasa.gov)

The Newspaper Association of America's web site contains links to many newspapers in the U.S. and around the world. Visit the site and check some of them out, to see if they have recently published any articles on this topic. To access the newspapers at the site, select a state. Click on the "Internationals" button to view choices from other countries.

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