Building Career Skills

Some days it is hard to imagine how you will end up in the adult job(s) that you will have in our world.  In part, this is challenging because some of those jobs may not exist yet and, in part, it can be hard to just navigate high school let alone start thinking about the rest of your life.

Did you know that the latest statistics are indicating that most students today will end up having 12-15 jobs over their lifetime?  That is a lot of different opportunities.  And it is hard to imagine what those jobs might look like while you are in high school.  In fact, most adults you meet are not working in the career field that they thought they would be in for the rest of their lives when they were in high school.  So, when you are thinking about what you'd like to do in the future, it isn't setting anything into stone.  It is a place to start exploring.  But, every day you are developing practical skills that will be essential to your future success no matter what jobs you pursue.

These skills include (among others): dependability, teamwork, reliability, communication, adaptability, and critical thinking.  Every single day at school, you are given opportunities to build on these areas to work towards making them a strength in your life.  Dependability might be shown through your homework completion.  Teamwork can be developed through your involvement with sports or clubs or even group projects in class.  Reliability is showing up when you make an appointment to meet with a teacher for extra help.  Building your communication skills comes with the reading and writing you are doing in your classes, but it also is reflected in how you interact with your friends and teachers both in person as well as through emails or other messages.  How we respond when there are changes is a reflection of our ability to be adaptable.  And, of course, critical thinking is something you are building in all of your classes as you try to figure out the new concepts you are learning and applying that information into your own life and figuring out the connections between concepts.

Soft skills (like those shown in the graphic) are actually your Power Skills - these skills are essential to your future success and will help you no matter what career you pursue in the future.  So today and every day as you navigate high school, remember that you are building those skills you need for your future careers.