Today, there are so many career options for students that they are spoilt for choice! However, on the contrary, we don’t see many students opting for careers that help them fulfil their passion and their unique professional dreams. This is mainly because they lack awareness about opportunities and avenues to learn about the jobs and make an informed decision.
To overcome this issue, many secondary schools have embarked on initiatives that help students explore different careers before they choose one. In most cases, schools depend on different types of psychometric tests that assess the students’ personality, abilities and interests. Based on the personalized test scores the students are guided towards the most suitable jobs in their area of interest. While such efforts are laudable, schools need to review their solution to address a few critical gaps that can make their solution more effective.
Below are the top 3 questions every school can reflect on while revisiting their initiatives and plans in helping students make informed choices.
1. Why is it essential to differentiate between a job and a career in today’s world?
By reflecting on questions like ‘is a career a series of jobs that help climb the ladder?’ or is it a journey a student embarks on and explores different opportunities to work and accomplish their goals as per their dreams? The second option is more relevant today as students can try many unconventional jobs and they don’t have to tread a predetermined path. While the students discover their interests and abilities during this phase, they need professional support in the form of examples, case studies to validate their career choice.
2. What makes a career counselling solution comprehensive?
Schools need to revisit their solution in career counselling to ensure a comprehensive outlook towards various factors influencing the students’ decisions. This includes adopting a robust framework for end-to-end requirements of students when they make a transition to higher education and subsequently enter the world of work. Since high school also represents the formative years of students when they undergo many changes psychologically, there is a need to adopt a holistic approach that can help the students in combining their passion with their profession.
3. Are we capturing and presenting the latest in emerging jobs?
With technology impacting every aspect of work in many industries, jobs are continuously evolving. The students need to get introduced to new types of jobs and the scope they offer for exciting careers if they acquire the right knowledge and skills to pursue their interests. Answers to this question also help the schools in understanding the job-in-demand and how they can address the skill shortage in the industry.
We tried to provide the reasoning behind each of the above questions to help schools revisit their solution and identify the gaps. This could be the first step towards making their solution robust and responsive to the emerging needs of the students.
Do these questions resonate with your concerns in strengthening your solution? Watch out for more updates as we will touch upon a few key aspects of what makes a career counselling solution successful for the schools and rewarding for the students.
