Students
Path to Careers makes it easier to discover who you want to be.
Career exploration is important stuff.
Figuring out what's next after high school is tough. Where do you start? Career exploration is key. Let us help you get moving in the right direction! Using Path to Careers simplifies the process by bringing you together with businesses to get the experiences you want.
Get in the door and explore your career possibilities.
If you're not sure what your future holds, Path to Careers will help you connect to experiences that will help you figure out what you want to do (or don't want to do!). If you have an idea of your future, these experiences can help you confirm you're on the right track.
Show them your potential.
Whether you're planning to go a technical school, a college or university, or land a job directly after high school - these experiences look great on a résumé! Being fresh out of high school is hard, but completing internships, volunteer opportunities, or mock interviews can give you a leg up.
How It Works
Businesses post career experiences.
Businesses want you to visit them and experience what they have to offer - and they want to get to know you, too! Businesses will list the career exploration experiences (such as internships, industry tours or job shadows) they can provide along with everything you'll need to know about the activity.
Browse the experiences.
Learn about businesses and view experiences to see what interests you. You'll be able to see different industries, occupations and experiences right in your own community. Search by business, industry or other methods to find what fits you best.
Sign up through your school and click to get the experience you want.
Ask your school for a user ID and password. Then, once you've determined an experience might be a good fit for you, click 'Request an Experience' and fill out the required information. The message will go to your teacher or advisor who will work with the business to set it up if it is a good match for you and your interests.
Experience!
After everything is arranged, it's time to get out there and experience. Whether it's a job shadow or an industry tour, Path to Careers is here to help you discover who you want to be and what to do next.
Experiences You Might Consider
Cooperative Education
Cooperative education, commonly known as "co-op" is a structured way of combining your classroom education with hands-on experience in the workforce. This type of experience allows you to learn technical skills and receive related workplace training while receiving academic credit.
Guest Speaker
Business guest speakers are invited into your classroom to speak with you and your peers directly and provide an opportunity to learn from them first-hand . The guest speaker may provide a perspective on their personal career journey, the types of jobs that are available within his or her field, and the knowledge, skills, education and preparation needed to enter and advance within that given career field. Prepare your questions in advance and consider completing follow-up research afterwards on any topics that interest you to get the most value out of this experience.
Industry Tour
An industry tour is a career exploration activity that allows you and other students to visit a worksite, which allows you to see what it really might be like to work in your field of interest. You are typically allowed to tour the facilities and observe work-related activities. Most importantly, you will have the opportunity to learn from employees about the various types of jobs the company has to offer, the education and training needed to compete for these jobs, and whether or not there is room for advancement. Come prepared with questions for employees so you can learn exactly what you want to and leave a positive impression.
Internship
An internship is placement in a temporary position at a business or organization where you'll work alongside other employees. You'll gain valuable career experience and insight and have an opportunity to build a rapport with management and other employees. Work hard to complete your assigned projects, take initiative asking how you can help others and make a lasting impression on a possible future employer. Internships may be paid or unpaid. You can do an internship to gain work experience or to satisfy requirements for a class or program, depending on your school's requirements.
Job Shadow
A job shadow is a valuable experience allowing you to see first-hand what a day in the life of a person in a certain occupation or company might be like. By shadowing an employee you'll have ample opportunities to ask questions that you want answers to in order to make good decisions about your future. Come prepared to ask about the company and the skills they value in their employees. Ask the person you're shadowing about their personal career path and what brought them to the occupation they're in today or anything else that will help you determine if the career fits your goals and values. Shadow multiple companies and occupations to help you decide the career you want to pursue.
Mentoring
Mentoring occurs when you are matched one-on-one with an adult professional in a chosen field of interest to explore career interests and related workplace and career development issues. A mentor serves as a resource for you by providing encouragement and guidance. Mentors share insights about the workplace, skills you will need for careers of interest, and educational requirements. Mentoring allows you to navigate your career pathway journey through gaining first-hand knowledge from an adult who has career and life experience.
Mock Interview
Interviewing well takes practice (even seasoned professionals in your field of interest need practice!) and participating in a mock interview is a perfect opportunity for you to prepare for the future. In a mock interview, a business professional meets one-on-one with you and conducts a simulated job interview. You'll learn first-hand what it feels like to be interviewed and practice answering questions about yourself, your interests, your personal qualities and your strengths as a prospective job candidate. You'll receive constructive criticism at the end of the interview so you can continually improve on presenting yourself well.
Pre-Apprenticeship
Pre-apprenticeship programs are designed as stepping stones to Registered Apprenticeship programs. They can expand your career pathway opportunities by combining industry- based on the job training with your classroom instruction so you are a well-rounded candidate for the Registered Apprenticeship earn as you learn model. (A Registered Apprenticeship means you'll be working and earning money with a company while having built in time to learn additional skills that you need for success.)
Summer Employment
A summer job is a great opportunity for you to learn and discover your career interests and grow and demonstrate your employability skills. These skills include getting along with others, following directions, making good decisions, and communicating well. Summer employment can be part or full-time but either way, completion looks great on a resume since it shows future employers your initiative and ability to meet employer expectations. The best way to start a career in the future is to start experiencing work now.
Volunteer Opportunity
A volunteer opportunity allows you to provide support to a program that directly serves the community or others. These opportunities allow you to develop your leadership skills, learn to work with others, understand how you can positively impact your community and feel part of it, explore what activities you like and do not like, and learn about and build work ethic. These unpaid activities may help you stand out to future employers and post secondary training providers.
Industry Clusters
Arts & Communication
Designed to cultivate students' awareness, interpretation, application and production of visual, verbal and written work.
Business, Finance, & Information Technology
Designed to prepare students for careers in the world of business, finance and information technology services.
Engineering & Industrial Technology
Designed to cultivate students' interest, awareness and application to areas related to technologies necessary to design, develop, install or maintain physical systems.
Human Services
Designed to cultivate students' interests, skills and experience for employment in careers related to families and human needs.
Science, Health & Agriculture
Designed to cultivate students' interests in life, physical and behavioral sciences. In addition, the planning, managing and providing of therapeutic services, health information and biochemistry research development.