can a teen pick a career?

[EthiopianFood]

In other words, is a teenager EVER mature enough to explore career options and then pick a track? Can they know themselves well enough to choose something that they will still enjoy as an adult? I really like the idea of taking the last two years of high school to specialize to some extent in their writing, internships, etc., but will it do any good in preventing a lot of back and forth in college and beyond?

 

ETA: I think my emphasis was meant to be on the internships, etc. doing any good. Many people think they want to do something until they actually TRY it. Can we do our children a favor and take their interests seriously enough in high school that we don't just say, "Yes, you should do research on how to achieve that goal!" but instead say, "What can you do NOW to see what that job is like?" The emphasis would be on serious time put into volunteer work and/or internships as a part of school.

 

I feel like I'm rambling. That's what I do when it's late. :tongue_smilie: I hope this made some sense!

Edited June 2, 2010 by RaeAnne

[Peela]

No guarantees, and no absolutes. Some teens know, others don't. If a teen is pushed into college but doesn't know what they want to do...well, less likely they will find a straightforward path.

 

I am planning FOR dithering and changing paths. Dd16 is going into Mass Communication/media studies/ journalism. Lots of different possibilities in there- she is planning on following journalism, but it's not her absolute passion and we all all open to her finding a different area to specialise in- but the general area is interesting to her and she already has skills in it. She is an artist and a Gemini. She needs flexibility.

 

And if the teen doesnt know....can anyone really know for them, either?

I like SWB's idea that college shouldn't be done too young. One reason is less likelihood for costly mistakes.

If one has already decided one's teen is aboslutely going to college...well, already you have laid down some tracks for them and their life may decide not to comply with your best intentions.

 

I am rambling too :) College is on my thoughts lately. I am pretty open minded about whether either of my kids go or not. I am concerned about the debt, and we cant afford to pay for them, so I am not pushing them, that's for sure, but we will support them as best we can whichever way they want to go.

[Amber in AUS]

I think some kids just know and some don't. It is hard to say really. I know 3 people who knew they wanted to be Dr's at 12 and they became Dr's and love their jobs. I know another who was passionate about becoming an Accountant at 15, she went to Uni got qualified, worked at the job for 3 years and hated every minute of it. It is a really tough call for someone young. Like Peela said i would bank on some chopping and changing.

[Rosie_0801]

From all the threads on here about boardies wondering about their own employment futures, I'd say we can't blame teens if they don't know either. Expecting anyone to pick something and stick at it for the rest of their life sounds pretty unreasonable to me. Watching my brother, who has never been unemployed longer than a few months and I think that was only once, sticking to something isn't all that important unless you have a family to support. If you don't, and my brother doesn't, if you are paying your own bills, you are doing the right thing.

 

I think the other problem is finding out what X career actually means. I thought I'd like to be a history teacher until dh became a teacher. Then I realised the teaching would be just dandy and the system would make my four years in a greengrocer seem like fun. And that's with me having been friends with a teacher growing up, and I was well aware of how much they work out of hours.

 

 

Rosie

Edited June 2, 2010 by Rosie_0801

[EthiopianFood]

I think the other problem is finding out what X career actually means. I thought I'd like to be a history teacher until dh became a teacher. Then I realised the teaching would be just dandy and the system would make my four years in a greengrocer seem like fun. And that's with me having been friends with a teacher growing up, and I was well aware of how much they work out of hours.

 

This helps me clarify. I'm going to add to my OP. I think my emphasis was meant to be on the internships, etc. doing any good. Many people think they want to do something until they actually TRY it. Can we do our children a favor and take their interests seriously enough in high school that we don't just say, "Yes, you should do research on how to achieve that goal in the future!" but instead say, "What can you do NOW to see what that job is like?"

[Mom in High Heels]

That's a good question. We live in Germany and around age 11, the school children have to take a set of tests that decide if they go on to Gymnasium (college prep school), regular school (I can't remember the name), isclosest to American high school, but when they're done they have the equiv. of an Assoc. degree or Trade School. I think that's weird, because your entire life hinges on tests they take at 11. From what I understand those who go to the regular school can apply to go to Gymnasium, if they think they want to go university (which the gov't pays for BTW), but the tests are difficult. You can tell by the jobs adults have where they went to school. Mechanics, garbage men, electricians, etc, went to trade school. Shop keepers/owners, administrative assistants, accountants, lab techs, etc, went to the regular school (remember they have an Assoc. at the end of school) and doctors, lawyers, scientists, etc. went to Gymnasium. I find this system fascinating. BTW, they do 13 years of school, not 12. The final year is a review year.

As a teenager I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. Heck, I'm in my 30's and still haven't got much of an idea what I want to do with my life.

[Rosie_0801]

I don't think I understand what you are looking for now, but I had a vaguely related thought and sharing sounds like a good way of procrastinating over the dishes...

 

I don't know what opportunities you have, but I've found a lot of things I had no idea about over the past few years. (Coz I spend way too much time online...) There are so many internship and work experience type arrangements for year 11, 12 or uni students. Some local governments have programs, the federal government does, there are dental assistant traineeships and a few hospitals have work experience programs. I really hope I can encourage my kiddies to apply for some of these. Maybe being a dental assistant isn't especially enjoyable, but it won't kill them to stick it out for the duration of the program. It's something to put on a resume, they'll meet professional people, they'll learn more about oral health than I could conceive of teaching them and it'll keep them employed while they think of something else to do.

 

Rosie

[Laura Corin]

But not more specifically than that. By the time they are about sixteen, I think most children have an idea whether they want to spend their lives doing maths/science or writing/administration etc. In the IB, children do six subjects between the ages of 16 and 18, but three are at higher level and three at lower level, so someone interested in sciences might do maths, physics and chemistry at higher level, whilst studying history, English and a foreign language at a lower level. That seems about right to me.

 

That amount of specialisation can still cause problems, however. In the UK system, someone who had concentrated on sciences would then have a hard time getting a university place, on most courses, to continue with a foreign language. They might well, however, have the option of starting a brand new language at university.

 

ETA: I see now that your point was about internships - I think that general track from age 16-18 is fine, but internships would be great to narrow down focus.

 

Laura

Edited June 2, 2010 by Laura Corin
spelling

[EthiopianFood]

I don't think I understand what you are looking for now, but I had a vaguely related thought and sharing sounds like a good way of procrastinating over the dishes...

 

:D Maybe teens don't know what they want to do in any meaningful way because we prolong childhood, rather than preparing them for the workforce in any practical way. IOW, are teens/young adults indecisive because of nature or nuture? Teens in some cultures are capable of SO much more than teens here. Would those teens know what they want to do in a meaningful way?

 

Can the indecisive years of the early twenties be shifted to the mid to late teens?

 

How's that? ;)

 

ETA: I like your dental assistant idea.

[Annabel Lee]

At my dd's Montessori charter school (which only goes up through 8th gr.) the older kids spend time reflecting on their own work every Friday to become familiar with what kind of learner they are. In 7th & 8th grade they have to go through "passage", an intense set of extracurricular required activities aimed at narrowing down the things you asked about. They investigate their top career interests and do a full 40-hour week of volunteer work in that field. There are reflective reports done every step of the way. They look back over all their schoolwork from K-8th to glean any identifying info. about themselves as learners, what their strengths/weaknesses are, etc. There's a physical challenge that includes exercise and nutrition components, starting w/ keeping a simple food diary.

 

Most of this is done over a summer between grade levels and isn't only about choosing a career but allowing the child to develop a clearer idea of what type of life they'd like to have and what kind of person they want to be. Knowing those things will help narrow the career field. Also, if your dc goes to all that work researching something they think they'll love and discover that they don't, isn't that better than wasting college tuition to find out?

 

Just an idea; I thought I'd throw it out there. There's alot you can do on your own to help your dc find or narrow their interests and give them tools to keep going when they discover they don't like something so well after all.

[Rosie_0801]

Teens in some cultures are capable of SO much more than teens here. Would those teens know what they want to do in a meaningful way?

 

 

I don't know which cultures you are thinking of but perhaps they have fewer options? Back in the day when women could only be teachers, nurses or secretaries, I'll bet girls had few problems making decisions.

 

Rosie

 

P.S I'll have you know I got up and washed the dishes as soon as I finished my last post :tongue_smilie:

[Renee in NC]

Yes they can, but even if they change their mind later it isn't a big deal anymore.

 

My 12yo wants to be a mechanic. He probably will be. I would rather him be an engineer because I think he will get very board very quickly being a mechanic.

 

However, if he becomes a mechanic and then later wants to be an engineer, he can do that. It might not be easy, but it can be done.

[MIch elle]

In other words, is a teenager EVER mature enough to explore career options and then pick a track? Can they know themselves well enough to choose something that they will still enjoy as an adult? I really like the idea of taking the last two years of high school to specialize to some extent in their writing, internships, etc., but will it do any good in preventing a lot of back and forth in college and beyond?

 

ETA: I think my emphasis was meant to be on the internships, etc. doing any good. Many people think they want to do something until they actually TRY it. Can we do our children a favor and take their interests seriously enough in high school that we don't just say, "Yes, you should do research on how to achieve that goal!" but instead say, "What can you do NOW to see what that job is like?" The emphasis would be on serious time put into volunteer work and/or internships as a part of school.

 

 

 

Looking at career options early is a smart way to go. You're right! Trying it is important BEFORE you commit to majoring in it.

 

Career planning is an important process that is not discussed much. It's even more critical these days with high college tuition and unemployment.

Edited June 3, 2010 by MIch elle

[PiCO]

I think that's weird, because your entire life hinges on tests they take at 11.

 

I am pretty horrified by this. I would have ended up with a very different life had I lived in Germany.

 

Dd 11 tests well. She would probably be in the highest level of school in Germany. Dd 16 is also very bright... but she can't take a test to save her life (we're working on that. SATs are coming up.) So in Germany she would be in trade school. That would be an enormous waste of potential.

 

On the other hand, I believe there are a lot of people in the USA that are educated beyond their intelligence level. But I think that's better than being told you can't do what you want with your life- the government knows better than you.

[Pixie]

I am pretty horrified by this. I would have ended up with a very different life had I lived in Germany.

 

Dd 11 tests well. She would probably be in the highest level of school in Germany. Dd 16 is also very bright... but she can't take a test to save her life (we're working on that. SATs are coming up.) So in Germany she would be in trade school. That would be an enormous waste of potential.

 

On the other hand, I believe there are a lot of people in the USA that are educated beyond their intelligence level. But I think that's better than being told you can't do what you want with your life- the government knows better than you.

 

I don't know about the tests in Germany, but I grew up in France where kids are tracked too starting in 7th grade. Honestly I think it is a great system, the kids who are track toward trade school/apprenticeship at the end of 7th grade probably have no interest in pursuing going to university and they have already repeated aa grade at least once or twice. And in France at least, it is not based on one test but on school work during the year. Few kids leave the "traditional" track in 7th grade, the main split is at the end of 9th grade between the general/university prep track and the tech track. And if you end up one the "wrong" track there are bridges to change track.

Also tests in France are very different since we don't have standardized testing, I had never encountered a multiple choice question till I took the TOEFL and the GRE to come study in the US.

[Haiku]

In other words, is a teenager EVER mature enough to explore career options and then pick a track? Can they know themselves well enough to choose something that they will still enjoy as an adult?

 

Yes.

 

In many other countries, including Germany, kids decide what they want to do in high school and prepare for it. I think we do kids a disservice by not giving them practical job experience in high school. My dd's high school requires extensive job shadowing. I'd prefer internships, but they also want the kids to graduate with at least 15 hours of college credit, so I guess they had to pick one or the other.

 

Tara

[Tap]

Internships are great opportunities but can also create a false sense of what a job is about, just like college. People who are untrained interns, like a high school student, are not likely to really be put in a position of responsibility within the trade itself. They are more likely to be the errand boy, the clean up girl or a desk/phone/register clerk. They do see the business, but from a very limited point of view.

 

I do see value in internships, but I also think that they are more valuable within the education, during the learning process, that prior to it. I see more value in a diverse job shadowing program, where they are only responsible to observe, not participate in menial tasks outside the field in which they are studying.

 

DS15 is pursuing a Biology/Chemistry major. He is fairly confident that as a basic job classification he would like to end up in this field. One advantage that I see he has over what I did growing up, is that his education has been much more thorough than mine. At 15 he has taken General Science, Physical Science, Biology and Chemistry....I graduated at 17 taking Biology, so at 15 I had completed, maybe general science. I think that by him having the experience of Biology and Chemistry behind him, he is in a much better place to decide that he finds those fields the most interesting.

 

Same with math, he has completed Alg1&2, Geo and Pre-calc. He knows he likes math, but is not a genius either. While he would like a career that utilizes complex mathematics, he knows that it is unlikely as those who go on to study 'math' as a major are better at the subject than he is. He knows this by experience in high school, not an internship. Now, I am not saying that he couldn't be a high performing mathematician, but due to his experiences and ability...it is not the most likely. He does plan to continue delving into math, and looks forward to the college classes he has signed up for in the fall.

 

Foreign language is something else that he has a special ability for. He does great with Spanish and after completing 3 years in high school, plans to continue learning it to a 'comfortable and usable' level. Combining this with his science studies, will give him a breadth of education that may lead him down a different path than we expect, but will also give him a solid yet broad foundation.

 

After or during the next 2 years (enrolled at cc) he will begin to look for internships and opportunities to see what is available to him. He will look for certifications that may be unique to this triad of education that he finds the most interesting and from there he will narrow his major for university.

 

 

So, I do see value in using an internship to maybe narrow or eliminate a course of study, I do think that allowing a person to obtain some upper level course work first is very important. This may allow them to be in an internship where they may have a skill or two that can be applied to the actual job they are intering for, or at least have the underlying education to see and understand what is happening around them.

 

DS and I have talked about a gap year between cc and uni, to do more specific internships, job shadowing, entry level position work, or taking classes that apply toward his major as electives, but lead in a different direction. ie Botany, instead of Biology, astronomy instead of math...etc.

 

 

 

ETA my experience with internships is primarily in pharmacy as pharmacist interns.. So, it may be skewed a bit. 1st year students who intern, are given basic tasks like putting away drugs, or other jobs that are 'pharmacy clerk or tech' (office staff equivalent) jobs. Students that are 4th year, are working interns who do all the same jobs as the pharmacist (they are double checked to ensure accuracy). This is why I feel an internship, after some education is important. The 1st and 4th year interns are given very, very different responsibilities.

Edited June 2, 2010 by Tap, tap, tap

[Heidi @ Mt Hope]

I know many people who didn't stick with their original plans for a career (including my dh), but my bf knew in high school that she wanted to be a nurse. She participated in an extra curricular program called 'health occupations.' She didn't go to college directly after high school, but eventually did go to school and become a nurse (and has been working as a nurse for years). My bil went into the Navy so that he could train to be a machinist and has worked in that field his whole life.

[newbie]

In regards to OP, I think fostering a dream is a beautiful thing, whether or not life opens it up or changes it, is up to God.

 

I am helping both my girls to get to their dream.

[EthiopianFood]

Yes.

 

In many other countries, including Germany, kids decide what they want to do in high school and prepare for it. I think we do kids a disservice by not giving them practical job experience in high school. My dd's high school requires extensive job shadowing. I'd prefer internships, but they also want the kids to graduate with at least 15 hours of college credit, so I guess they had to pick one or the other.

 

Tara

 

I agree that we do our kids a disservice. It sounds like your dd is attending an excellent high school! Good job, mama.

 

Internships are great opportunities but can also create a false sense of what a job is about, just like college. People who are untrained interns, like a high school student, are not likely to really be put in a position of responsibility within the trade itself. They are more likely to be the errand boy, the clean up girl or a desk/phone/register clerk. They do see the business, but from a very limited point of view.

 

...

 

So, I do see value in using an internship to maybe narrow or eliminate a course of study, I do think that allowing a person to obtain some upper level course work first is very important. This may allow them to be in an internship where they may have a skill or two that can be applied to the actual job they are intering for, or at least have the underlying education to see and understand what is happening around them.

 

Good points, all. My first internship for my social work degree (which assumed you already had two years of college, so the program was only two years, not four) was a complete and utter waste of time. I was literally begging for clients. My first week, I defrosted their freezer because I was so bored. :glare: My second year, I didn't do much work personally, but I had excellent shadowing opportunities. Yep, definitely not going into child protection! Ugh.

 

I'm really getting your vision for the value of upper level classes in high school. I wonder if this would be easier with some fields than with others. I'm so glad I'm nowhere near doing high school, because I'm overwhelmed already!

[Liz CA]

My education in GER was first rate and very similar to the Classical Approach with Latin in the curriculum, however, I do agree that the choice as to who is going to College Prep School is made way too early and should not hinge on one or two tests. I remember thinking I was going to die if I failed - and this at 10 years of age.

I definitely did not want this kind of stress for my children.

[Liz CA]

I think it's about helping them to realize opportunities (internships included) in order to decide. I told my son that he has a passion for something and he can find it by trying out a few things.

He did go to college without a clear idea of his major. I think sometimes taking classes in college (basic ed) can help a teen see where his/her interests and talents lie.

[EthiopianFood]

I don't know which cultures you are thinking of but perhaps they have fewer options? Back in the day when women could only be teachers, nurses or secretaries, I'll bet girls had few problems making decisions.

 

Rosie

 

P.S I'll have you know I got up and washed the dishes as soon as I finished my last post :tongue_smilie:

 

Show off. :tongue_smilie:

 

I should have known you would point this out. I was thinking the same thing. I guess I meant more that this kids are mature and ready to work. I think part of kids' indecision today is immaturity, not being ready to IMAGINE themselves doing a job in the first place. But that is a side issue anyway.

[EthiopianFood]

at my dd's montessori charter school (which only goes up through 8th gr.) the older kids spend time reflecting on their own work every friday to become familiar with what kind of learner they are. In 7th & 8th grade they have to go through "passage", an intense set of extracurricular required activities aimed at narrowing down the things you asked about. They investigate their top career interests and do a full 40-hour week of volunteer work in that field. There are reflective reports done every step of the way. They look back over all their schoolwork from k-8th to glean any identifying info. About themselves as learners, what their strengths/weaknesses are, etc. There's a physical challenge that includes exercise and nutrition components, starting w/ keeping a simple food diary.

 

Most of this is done over a summer between grade levels and isn't only about choosing a career but allowing the child to develop a clearer idea of what type of life they'd like to have and what kind of person they want to be. Knowing those things will help narrow the career field. Also, if your dc goes to all that work researching something they think they'll love and discover that they don't, isn't that better than wasting college tuition to find out?

 

Just an idea; i thought i'd throw it out there. There's alot you can do on your own to help your dc find or narrow their interests and give them tools to keep going when they discover they don't like something so well after all.

 

I love this. Love it.

Edited June 3, 2010 by RaeAnne

[Rosie_0801]

I think part of kids' indecision today is immaturity, not being ready to IMAGINE themselves doing a job in the first place. But that is a side issue anyway.

 

Well it's a bit difficult isn't it? How do you imagine yourself as an engineer if you don't know what they actually do? How do you imagine yourself in a job you love, that you haven't heard of. Before this homeschooling bug bit, I was thinking about whether I could become a reading specialist teacher for deaf kids. I still don't know if there is such thing, or how I would learn to be one!

 

Rosie- reading websites to find out what engineers do :)

[EthiopianFood]

Well it's a bit difficult isn't it? How do you imagine yourself as an engineer if you don't know what they actually do? How do you imagine yourself in a job you love, that you haven't heard of. Before this homeschooling bug bit, I was thinking about whether I could become a reading specialist teacher for deaf kids. I still don't know if there is such thing, or how I would learn to be one!

 

Rosie- reading websites to find out what engineers do :)

 

Maybe it's different where you live, but over here, there's seem to be an epidemic of "kids" who are in their twenties +. They can't imagine having to pay their own bills, never mind holding down a real job. If you can't imagine yourself living an adult life, how can you seriously consider career choices?

[TravelingChris]

My three children have different things they want to pursue so each was done differently. For my son who first wanted to be a historian and has changed to wanting to be a philosophy professor, the only thing we ever did was make him read and write and also encourage his interest in history with historical trips and watching history videos. He watched philosophy videos as part of his schoolwork and developed that interest there.

 

DD1 wants to be a prosecutor. She has watched some pre-trial events and short trials. I got her into debate and it turns out that she really likes researching evidence and writing briefs. Since that is what junior attorneys tend to do, I already know she likes that part. SHe is attending a mock trial camp this summer. She is also going to continue debate and add a few speech categories that help prepare for the type of speaking you do as a prosecutor. She also wants to go to a college that will have a good internship program and she will be able to intern with a lawyer.

 

DD2 is as yet undecided exactly what she wants to do. She has definite engineering talents which we fostered by a robotics class and also Odyssey of the Mind. We will be looking for other opportunities for next year.