SOUTHERN CAPE NEWS - Ten practical suggestions for high-schoolers contemplating their futures.
1. Take time to think about what you like to do; dream and imagine ideal careers.There are so many opportunities, so many different types of jobs and careers in a wide variety of industries. Examine your likes and dislikes and take a few career-assessment tests. Answer the question, if you could have any job right now, what would it be - and why?
2. Challenge yourself in high school, but don't overwhelm yourself. Get as much out of high school as possible. If you can manage to take on extra subjects to broaden your CV.
3. Work, volunteer, or otherwise gain some experience. As with your education, the more you are exposed to, the more options will open to you as you search out careers. There are even a growing number of internship opportunities for high-school students. Seek work and volunteer experiences in and out of school. And from a practical standpoint, work experience looks good on applications.
4. Get as much education as you can. We are a society in which many jobs and careers require additional education or training beyond high school.
5. Talk with as many adults as possible about careers and colleges. The best way to find out about different careers is to ask people - family, neighbours, friends, teachers, counsellors - to tell you about their career and study experiences.
6. Don't worry what other people in your high school are doing - or letting their opinions about your dreams and ambitions affect your decision. You are destined to create and walk your own path.
7. People change; don't feel locked into any tertiary study college or career now. It's great to have an ideal plan for your life, but remember that things happen, and your plans may need to change… so keep an open mind - and keep your options open.
8. Don't let anyone control your dreams and ambitions. You will be horribly miserable at best if you let a parent or other family member dictate your career. Students often feel pressure to follow in an adult family member's career path. The worst thing you can do is choose a career to please someone else.
9. It's never too early nor too late to get organised and begin making plans. No matter where you are in high school, now is the time to plan the remainder of your high-school years - as well as your plans after high school. Research your options for after graduation - technical schools, community colleges, universities, etc.
10. Never stop learning… read, grow, and expand your mind. Don't miss-out on opportunities to learn and experience new things. Many teachers offer or assign holiday- and supplemental reading lists - look at these as opportunities for growth rather than a drag on your holiday. The more you read, the more you'll know. It's a cliche, but knowledge is power.
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