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Finding your career path can be difficult, and your career journey will often take you in directions you never imagined. But proper planning and preparation give you a better chance of navigating the path toward a successful career.

High School 51̽�� Connect maps the pros and cons of the three predominant high school to career paths (certificates, jobs, and degrees), based on student skills and interests. Our goal is to support understanding and awareness of options, strategies, and resources on the career path.

Here’s a brief overview of our approach:

Interests, values, skills & aptitudes

• Assess what you would like to do for a living and what careers suit your unique skillset. Do you have an aptitude for a particular career?

Employment trends

• How can you turn your passion and skills into a career? What does the workforce need, and how can you take advantage of that?

Endorsements & majors

• Start on a career path – select an endorsement for high school, and narrow your possibilities for a postsecondary major.

Education & experience

• Build your resumé.
• Get your degree or certificate and participate in career-related activities and internships.

Assess Your Skills

Start by thinking about your skills and attributes to help determine what you might be qualified to do. What are your strengths?

HARD SKILLS (measurable skills)

● Language proficiency
● Degree or certificate
● Computer proficiency
● Data analysis

SOFT SKILLS (personal attributes)

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● Time management
● Work ethic

SOCIAL SKILLS

● Social perceptiveness
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BASIC SKILLS

● Reading comprehension
● Active listening
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● Critical thinking

PROBLEM SOLVING

● Complex problem solving
● Judgment & decision making
● Systems analysis
● Systems evaluation

TECHNICAL SKILLS

● Technology design
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● Maintenance & repairs
● Operation & control
● Operations Analysis
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Assess Your Interests

Next, consider your career interests. What would you like to do?

Are you interested in…

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● Animal science
● Planning and organizing events
● Directing meetings
● Developing new ideas
● Processing information and data
● Managing a group of people

Then consider the Business and Industry����Ի�ǰ����𳾱�Գ�.

Are you interested in…

● Providing education for the public
● Preparing people for careers
● Regulating laws and taxes
● Providing support, safety, and protective services
● Managing public security
● Working in the healthcare industry

Then consider the Public Service endorsement.

Are you interested in…

● Designing and creating works of art
● Producing movies or videos
● Performing in front of audiences
● Writing and publishing books, magazines, and newspapers
● Providing entertainment
● Exhibiting artwork in galleries
● Being a historian
● Being an interpreter

Then consider the Arts and Humanities����Ի�ǰ����𳾱�Գ�.

Are you interested in…

● Performing scientific research
● Testing methods in a laboratory
● Researching and developing new products and raw materials
● Planning production of materials
● Providing technical services

Then consider the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics����Ի�ǰ����𳾱�Գ�

What’s Next?

Start thinking about your academic track, postsecondary options, and what lies beyond your education.

Maximize High School

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Consider College

Consider Trade School

• What Is Trade School? – .
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Consider The Military

• Military or College First? – .
• Joining the Military – .
• 5 Military Myths Busted – .

Choosing A 51̽��

• My Next Move – .
• How to Make a 51̽�� Choice – .