Planning for secondary education

It starts with a plan.

Just like the roadmap itself, you need a plan for where you’re going. Oftentimes, these big plans consist of smaller plans that are linked together. It also helps to think of each road to success as a series of different roads and highways that are connected, and include a variety of experiences, where you gain knowledge that you can take with you no matter where your life or career leads.

The goal of this stop on the Roadmap is designed to help student self-reflect to make the best decision about where to go next. This is a big deal to any young adult. But students who had a tough time completing high school due to unfortunate circumstances, often need more guidance and help than students who have been preparing for college since middle school (or younger in some cases!)

Three basic questions students need to ask.

These questions are designed to point the student in the right direction and get them to their destination as quickly as possible:

1. What kind of job do I want?
2. Can I start working entry-level positions in my field without a degree? (If so, what are the nearest companies that may hire me?)
3. What degree programs will help me move past the entry-level, and help me move up to achieve my ultimate professional goals?

It starts with their passion.

We know, not every career is exciting every day. But we find that students who go into healthcare see the benefit in higher-than-average salaries, and the opportunity to help save lives. Same thing with information technology. Students who go into this field tend to be really passionate about working with computers, networks, and security challenges associated with technology. Knowing the diversity and quality of programs offered by our career training and other education partners, we know students can find the right education to achieve their goals – no matter what kind of career they really want.

But it’s all about getting that first job.

The great thing about the broad fields of healthcare, IT, green technology, and business related roles, is the opportunities for entry-level employment. Of course, all of these fields have roles that benefit degree, certificate or diploma earners. But, there are many jobs students can work in their desired field while earning their education. We want to encourage students to speak with schools in their area, even if they don’t think they’re ready for the next level in their education. As many of you know, schools are a great way for people to connect with prospective employers.

Helping students make an informed decision.

That’s what this stop in the road is all about. Here, we explain the differences between career college training, associate and bachelor’s degree. When students get a clear picture of the different directions they can go, and what they entail, it’s not so intimidating. And once high school completers realize that career training or other types of education isn’t out of reach, we can help them plan to achieve goals they never thought possible.

The next stops on the Roadmap to Success…

When students decide they want to pursue some form of secondary education or training, we need to help them understand the steps for choosing the right program. And we still haven’t touched on the subject of financial aid yet – but not to worry. That’s why we’re expanding our focus, improving our efforts and services for students. With our renewed commitment to help students succeed from the very beginning till they reach their true potential, we can help our partners in the career college industry be more successful as well!

Stay tuned for the upcoming articles in our ‘Roadmap’ series…

• Self-assessment and choosing career training
• Financial Planning Made Simple
• Surviving & thriving in school
• Preparing for long-term career success