Career Planning for Teens - Connections Academy®

Whether you’re a parent, Learning Coach, teacher, or school counselor, we all share a common goal: to help kids with planning for the future so they succeed in their life beyond virtual school.

Learn more about career and college planning for teens and discover the best ways to support your child as they brainstorm how to make plans for college, career, and beyond.

Career Planning: Why Starting Early Matters

Future planning for high school students should start early. While teens may think that they have all the time in the world to decide what they want to do after graduation, the truth is that career exploration can begin as early as elementary school. By their high school years, students should be ready to take advantage of internships, job shadowing opportunities, and other ways to explore different industries with minimal pressure to make any commitment to a career just yet.

With access to extracurriculars, clubs, and electives, they can try classes centered around career paths like engineering, health, and business to see how they like them. They also have more opportunities to enroll in career and technical education (CTE) courses, work as an intern or apprentice, or take online certification courses to build their resumes while learning more about what they’d like from a future career.

Benefits of Early Career Planning

Students who start career planning or college planning early can reduce stress and open up additional opportunities, such as:

Applying for more targeted internships.

Discovering industry specific scholarships.

Spending time with school counselors to map a career or college plan.

Taking courses for college credit while still in high school.

How Families Can Support Their Teen’s Career Planning

Your guidance as a parent or Learning Coach can be vital when helping your student plan for the future. Help your student brainstorm by talking to them about what subjects they like in school, what kind of impact they would like to have on the world, and what they enjoy doing or are passionate about. This information can help you learn more about some possible career options for them.

Sample Career Planning Questions for Teens to Spark Reflection

There are a number of career quizzes out there to help students discover their dream jobs, but here are some questions that can help get the conversation started:

Do you want to go to college, trade school, or take a gap-year? Help your student determine what they may want to study or learn before they jump into the workforce as well as the time and financial commitment.

What kind of job do you see yourself doing (office work, hands-on projects, creative gig work)? Understanding their potential work environment and day-to-day tasks can help students narrow down the types of careers they would be interested in pursuing.

What do you do well in, both personally and academically? Rather than simply following their passions, students should look critically at what they are good at and what they enjoy doing, so they can find fulfillment and their marketable skills.

These types of questions help your teen start to think critically and long term about their interests and what it may take to achieve their career goals.

Mapping the Timeline for Life After High School

Grades 9–10

For students in 9th and 10th grade, it’s important to help them to start figuring out what they like and dislike about the courses they’re taking or the extracurricular activities they are involved in. They need to start researching colleges and career paths to see what interests them.

Making time to meet with their school counselor to chat about your student’s interests and post-graduation plans to get not only more information about what courses they could take but if there are any other opportunities the school offers that they could take advantage of.

Grade 11

In 11th grade, college-bound students should be highly focused on researching colleges, careers, and preparing for tests. It’s important for students to meet with their school counselor to discuss their progress, what the next steps are, and how to make sure they meet all the requirements.
For students looking to go to trade school or join the workforce directly, 11th grade may be spent looking for job shadowing or apprenticeship opportunities to start gaining experience and job skills that could help them after graduation or to discover industries they enjoy.

Regardless of their post-high school plans, students should also use this time to develop their soft skills like time management, leadership, interpersonal communication, and problem solving—all skills that can help them in their future career.

Grade 12

Just as important as making sure your student is on track to submit any college or job applications is checking in with their school counselor to ensure they are on track to complete their high school's graduation requirements.

By this point, students should have a decent idea of what they would like to do after they graduate high school and have a roadmap for how they will break into potential careers. Whether they will need to go to college, earn certificates, or jump into the workforce right away, they should have a plan in place that they can pursue throughout the school year so that they can hit the ground running after graduation day.

Actionable Steps Teens Can Take Now

Job Shadowing

A great way to get a clearer idea of what a job is to see it firsthand by job shadowing. Students who have an idea of what kind of career they would like to pursue can ask local businesses in that industry if it would be possible to schedule a time where the student can follow along as a person does their job or even try a virtual job shadowing experience. This is particularly useful for students looking to go into specialized fields where on-the-job experiences may be more hands-on.

Attending Career Workshops or Open Houses

Many high schools and communities offer career fairs, career workshops, and open houses where young people can meet with businesses and talk about what they do. This is a great way for teens to explore the connections between their interests and the types of careers available to them.

Exploring Online Courses or Micro-credentials

Some high schools, such as Connections Academy®, partner with organizations to help students gain valuable career knowledge and certificates while still in high school. For example, Coursera® and Credly® offer micro-credentials, which allows students to gain certifications from industry leaders and can give students an edge when they’re building a resume.

Handling Uncertainty and Changing Course

Life happens, and sometimes students may need to change course. Often, teens worry about figuring out their future career path all at once. Families should talk with their students to ensure they are staying flexible when things change or they feel uncertain.

Embed Career Planning Into Everyday School Life

Brainstorm ways to make the school year interesting and engaging for your high schooler. Are there new clubs and activities they would like to try? Are any student leadership opportunities available through school or in the community? Is an after-school job a possibility?

Regardless of what they choose, be sure to make career planning something you discuss with them throughout their high school years rather than just once or twice right before graduation. Taking smaller steps to explore careers options early can help ease anxieties about the future and make life after high school a bit less intimidating for students.

Taking Career Planning and College Planning to the Next Level

With a little time and reflection, your teen can find the best college or career path that works for them. Take time to help your student research, refine, and establish goals that pave the way for a lifetime of success. Discover more information about online high school by downloading our eGuide.