Deciding what to do for the rest of your life is a big decision and pursuing the credentials you need to do the job is key. When pursuing education and vocational training, you want to select the right program to lead you on a career path that fits you. The four-year college route isn’t for everyone – many students want to be trained for fields they’re passionate about and get straight to work.
In fact, statistics fielded in September 2021 suggest the number of high school students considering 4-year degrees has dropped 23% since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Most want lower-cost, faster paths to obtain a job, but 86% said they feel pressured to pursue a four-year college degree.
The good news is there are plenty of options! If you are struggling to identify the steps to take to move into your ideal career path, here are some tips.
What is Your Passion? What Matters to You?
Choosing the type of work you’ll do when you enter the workforce or decide it’s time to transition into a new career is a big decision. Making money is one thing, but if you hate what you do, you probably won’t last long in the field or may even perform poorly in it, even if the demand for it is high.
To identify a smart career path for yourself, start by thinking about what is important to you and what sparks your interest. For many people, this involves considering what matters to them and identifying careers that align with their passions. Consider the following to help with this process.
- Perform a self-assessment to determine values, soft skills, aptitudes, and interests.
- Identify “must-haves” in a job such as schedule, salary, benefits, and location.
- List different types of jobs to consider and explore what a day in that job would entail.
- Evaluate employers to see the availability of your top desired job possibilities.
- Obtain training to ensure you’re qualified and ready to begin.
However, before taking this step, it’s important to know if there is actually demand for the ideal jobs you’ve envisioned yourself doing.
Where is the Job Demand?
If you’re struggling to identify a good career path for yourself, start by considering where the highest demands are for jobs. Are there any that excite you and offer potential? Going forward, jobs in the fields of healthcare and technology are just two areas of specialization that are expected to continue to experience labor shortages, especially as Baby Boomers retire as the number of open positions employers need to fill grows.
How Can You Gain the Right Skills?
High school graduates and other students should know it’s not difficult to obtain a quality education at a lower cost and in shorter amounts of time to gain access to in-demand jobs, such as those in the medical field. At Caris College, our programs are designed to be affordable without requiring you to spend years in school to obtain a job. When pursuing one of our educational options, you’ll graduate in as little as 10 months from one of our industry-driven programs as a person who is job-ready and possesses the skillsets employers seek.
Start Your Journey to a New and Exciting Career Path Today!
Interested in bettering the health of humans and animals? Caris College has programs designed to put you on the right path, which includes several healthcare-related programs designed to maximize your learning while preparing you to enter the field to perform a vocation you are passionate about.
Located in Jeffersonville, Indiana, just north of Louisville, Kentucky, the educational programs at Caris College are internationally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools and are also approved by numerous other professional entities and partners. Financial aid is also available for students to apply.
To learn more about Caris College and our healthcare career education programs, contact us here or call us at 812-952-9791. We’re happy to discuss your options and answer any questions you have.