To begin with, students in secondary and higher education will face important decisions that will affect the rest of their studies and beyond. This is a critical moment of life when smart and intentional career preparation might mean the difference between a successful start and a false start in the years ahead. But what does career planning look like for young individuals, and what role can parents play? Setting realistic job objectives that are appropriate for the stage of life that young adults are in is the key to success. The SCC offers five suggestions to help innovative young adults gain traction for the future.
1. Make a list of the options available to you.
Before beginning to plan for the future, it’s a good idea to have a clear understanding of where things stand right now. Take some time to reflect on your child’s academic achievements and learn about the many alternatives before he or she begins to choose career ambitions. What skills does your child possess? What are his or her hobbies and passions? The answers to these two questions may or may not be the same, leading you and your child down paths you hadn’t explored before. Costs, admission requirements, and the number of years required to obtain the qualification are all readily available on the Internet for some of these paths. Making an informed decision about which you and your child have had a heart-to-heart discussion will enhance your child’s confidence and determination by reassuring him or her that you are fully behind him or her.
2. Break down the procedure into smaller chunks.
When you’re a 16 or 17-year-old young adult thinking about a goal that’s six to eight years away, it’s natural to feel a little overwhelmed. There’s a lot that could change in that amount of time, unlike working adults who can have clearly defined short-term job goals. But you and your child must begin somewhere, and the easiest way to do so is to break the process down into manageable portions that span the short-, mid-, and long-term. If your child aspires to be a software engineer, for example, a short-term objective would be to learn Python as a hobby and maintain strong grades so that he or she can study computer science at university. Once your child has completed tertiary education, a mid-term objective might be to gain an internship with a computer company, while the long-term goal, of course, is to secure permanent employment as a software engineer.
3. Strive for greatness while remaining practical.
You and your child will want to strike a balance between goals that challenge your child and goals that he or she can reach when setting career goals. This is a wonderful period in your child’s life, and it’s fine to dream big. Challenges are vital for growth, and your child does not want to look back in years and regret not trying. Simultaneously, there is a clear distinction to be made between unrealistic pipe fantasies and attainable objectives. To transform the former into the latter, you must be aware of all the steps necessary to achieve your objective and be willing to put in the necessary effort and make the necessary sacrifices.
4. Be receptive to suggestions and recommendations.
Finally, take advantage of the fact that your child is still a child and openly seek assistance, advice, and guidance from instructors and teachers! It’s fine to confess that you and your child may not know everything there is to know about specific job pathways or even the best one to choose. Gathering information from a variety of sources can undoubtedly assist your child in his or her development.
Developing Lifelong Learners Who Succeed in Their Dream Jobs
Employable skill sets are valued in the workplace, and young individuals can jumpstart the process of learning the talents and information they will need in the future by defining realistic professional objectives early on. When it comes to growing well-rounded and energetic students who are not only motivated to learn but also confident in their abilities, we at SCC believe in combining textbook knowledge with the mastery of key soft skills.
