Exploring Career Pathways

It was early July, and I was up to my elbows in chemicals utilized to process plates that would be used on printing presses to make letterhead, business cards, envelopes, and other products. It was 103 degrees. Until then, I had not given much thought to jobs after high school, but this first job experience jump started my thoughts about careers with cooler working conditions.

Although no one in my family had graduated from college, I thought that going to college may help me find a career that would be cooler (literally) and more enjoyable than my current job. At that time, colleges and universities had far fewer majors than are currently available. When I graduated from high school, women often selected business, education, or nursing as a college major. I selected business, then changed to education.

Today, I serve as the Executive Dean of the Blinn CollegeSchulenburg Campus. I visit with hundreds of students each semester many of them struggling to select a major and career pathway. Choosing is much more difficult these days because colleges and universities offer a multitude of majors, and there are many, many new jobs that did not exist several years ago. For example, Blinn College now offers more than 60 degree and certificate programs in a variety of disciplines that lead to entry into a career in the workforce or transfer to a four-year university.

However, there are free tools to narrow down the options, I suggest that students select a major that prepares them for a specific career path or advanced program of study. I also encourage them to consider their earning potential in the chosen career. A great resource for fmding this information is in the Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH) that can be found online at www.bls. gov/ooh/. The OOH categorizes careers into groups. For example, if you select math, you will fmd information for actuaries, statisticians, and operations research analysts along with the education level needed, median pay, and projected growth. You may also click on each specific job and fmd more information about what workers do in each of those jobs, the work environment, state and area data for employment in each area, and similar occupations. The Occupational Outlook Handbook is a great way to explore careers that you may have never considered. On the homepage, you will fmd links to lists of the highest paying occupations, the fastest growing occupations, and most new jobs projected.

In addition, I recommend that students take a career assessment The questions are designed to help identify your unique interests, strengths, personality, and values. This self-analysis can determine what career fields are best suited for your talents. For those of you who already have chosen a career field, it can help confirm your selection. If you would like to take a career assessment, you can find one at www blinn.edu/career-services/careercounseling.html.

If you are already in the workforce and looking for a change, a helpful resource is the Rural Capital Area Skilled-Based Career Progression Lattices. These graphics show how you may use experience and additional skills acquired through formal or informal training to advance and increase your salary. See the example of how you might progress in a career field beginning as a medical assistant I encourage you to view more Skill-Based Career Progression Lattices at https:/lworkforresolutionsrca. com/seekers/skill-based-careerpmgression-lattices.

While salary may be one of the many criteria that you consider when selecting a career path or advancing your career, it is also important to consider job satisfaction. Last summer, I spent a weekend with my mom. Unfortunately, her air conditioner went out while I was there, and it was very hot in her house. When the HVAC repairman came and repaired her unit, I asked him why he had chosen this job. After all, it was very hot in her attic, and he was sweating profusely when he came down. I will never forget his response. He said, “I feel like a superhero when I am able to fix clients’ A/C units, and I see their relief when their houses begin to cool.” What a perfect way to say that job satisfaction is an important consideration for any career path that you choose.

Garlick serves as the Executive Dean of the Blinn CollegeSchulenburg Campus. For more information, email bgarlick@blinn.edu.