This weekend I’ve been putting the finishing touches on a high school senior class assembly. The assembly is designed to show seniors the importance of career planning and more specifically self-assessment. Interestingly, I’ve heard through grapevine that the seniors are feeling that this type of assembly is coming a little too late. The argument is that it’s April, and at this point in their lives, they have signed the college acceptance letters and are quite prepared for their adventure into the world of education and work.

What they don’t know yet, is that they are likely to change their major an average of four times, 70% of them will take longer than four years to complete their bachelor’s degree, and 40% of their freshman class won’t make it to see their finals at the end of their freshman year. What this means is an extraordinary amount of money that will be wasted and will start many of them off into the world with debt that will take them decades to payoff.

Those of us with years of experience and mistakes under our belts understand the uncertainty of choosing a career path and all of the confusion that goes with it.  At about two – three years beyond high school graduation, the impact of our early career and educational choices begin to have a great impact on our lives. Our attention to media stories surrounding unemployment statistics and what career paths are current winners and losers can have anyone questioning why they choose to major in theater or history and not one of the up and coming career leaders.

As the years go by and our jobs and careers change we begin to really understand that career development is a lifelong process. If were not just merely going through the motions of life; we start to pay attention to who we are, what we like, and what skills and values are important to us. We understand that before we choose a career path we have to fully engage in the process of discovering our strengths and weaknesses. This is a process that takes time. The first step can include the use of vocational and personality assessments. While these types of tools should never be used as the road map to career bliss they can be extremely helpful in providing direction to career paths that will prove to be success.

With education costing amounts greater than one could have ever imagined, it is foolish for anyone to pursue a career without engaging in a full career development plan. Hopefully, our seniors and even those individuals way beyond their senior year of high school will appreciate what self-discovery and vocational assessments have to offer. This is just one of the many steps of successful career planning, but it is usually the one that is most skipped.

What I hope these students will gain from this assembly is not only the importance of self-discovery and career assessment tools but that career planning is a lifelong process.  Anyone who truly wants to grow and be successful on many different levels comprehends that career planning is a never ending cycle.

Best,

Nicole

With three kids ranging from 22 to 17, I am what they call in the thick of it when it comes to career direction beyond the high school years. My oldest will graduate with a BS degree in just weeks, my second is finishing up her sophomore year of a dual degree while my youngest ends his junior year of high school. His coming senior year, as we all remember being of great importance,  is the year that serious decisions are made. The beginning of a long career path unfolds, as well as the choice on how to invest smartly in that career path.

The American dream is about creating a life of economic freedom. But with that opportunity comes with it great responsibility. The dream has always lead with the ability or chance to go to college. We have been indoctrinated throughout the last four decades that college is the best chance to make good on that American dream. Yet, as we look at the number of college graduates that are struggling to get jobs in their field of study, I think it’s time we don’t assume that this path is the best and most profitable.

The average four year state school education will cost approximately $65,000, which most students and parents are taking on in the form of loans. Add in interest, over a 10 -15 year period and you are looking at a hefty investment in the future of our children. Is it worth it?

Looking at a recent study conducted by The Georgetown Center the short answer is that yes, education is certainly worth it. The study does project that with 14 million future job openings, nearly half of those jobs will be filled by individuals with post-secondary education. But before you learn the college fight song or hit the university book store for bumper stickers, it’s important to understand just what kind of education these jobs will require.

It’s not the post-secondary education we tend to think of in terms of four year degrees. Half of those jobs will be suited for people with an associate’s degree or occupational certifications. Jobs such as electricians, construction, dental hygienist, paralegal and those in criminal justice are the winners in getting the most for your money.

And here is the part that is really going to hurt, theses jobs will pay more than many of the jobs held by those with a bachelor’s degree. In fact, “27 percent of people with post-secondary licenses or certificates-credentials short of an associate’s degree-earn more than the average bachelor’s degree recipient” as stated in a 2007 report, Preparing the Workers of Today for the Jobs of Tomorrow, by economists Harry Holzer and Robert Lerman.

Is a bachelors degree a bad thing? Not at all, but as the price for education rises at astronomical levels we need to become better consumers. Let’s not assume all of our high school graduates must go on to four year degrees. Let’s take a long look at what we are getting for our money and not assume that taking on 15 years of debt is the best price for success. It’s time to open our eyes and spend some time really understanding what we are getting for our money.

Best,
Nicole