So, the latest census figures released by Statistics Canada tell what many of us have been saying for years, that whether you complete a trades certificate (to become an electrician, a carpenter, a plumber or a brick layer), a college diploma (for a career as a police officer or fire fighter), or a bachelor’s degree “staying in school pays off.”
While some individuals know exactly what they want to do with their lives, others may need to do an indepth old fashioned job search before they decide where to go to school and what to study. Here are some ideas to think about.
- SEARCH! Go to every conceivable employment search site and look at what jobs are in demand. Even look in the local and national newspapers. Get a picture of what jobs and careers are growing and where in Canada that is happening. Make up a scrap book of the jobs according to their similar characteristics.
- DETERMINE! To the best of your ability, decide which jobs represent the new economy and those which will always be in demand — such as accounting. Separate out those that you think are highly competitive and likely not to remain in demand in the future.
- ABILITIES! Think carefully which of the demand areas suits your interests and abilities. There is nothing wrong with doing something you are interested in or even love to do. And, keep in mind that the career you are choosing now will not likely be for life. Most of us experience different jobs along the way or different types of jobs within a single company. And, you know what, at the end of your working journey, when you look back at what you have done, there will be a very interesting pattern. You will take something from every job you ever had. In other words, there is no such thing as wasting your time.
- DECIDE! When you have decided where there is a good fit, then go to the website for the college or university of your choice and find out who offers the training you will need to get into that type of job or career. If you want an apprenticeship, check the major union sites or do a google search until you find what you are looking for. Above all, don’t give up.
- VISUALIZE! Then, do it without second guessing what job you will get at the end. Just visualize that you will get what is right for you. Call it positive thinking or whatever, but as a cognition and memory specialist in my university career, I have to tell you, that a positive mindset means a lot when it comes to getting trained or retrained.
Whatever young people or those seeking a new job direction do, remember, staying in school longer pays off. And, plan, plan, plan.
C/P With Good Reason. Revised May 2nd, 2008 at about 4pm.
Filed under: Career, Postsecondary | Tagged: Stay in School
It is what you do with your education that truly matters.
It is true that continueing your education will help you in the long run. Though the incessant pressure upon todays youth to plan plan plan their future belies the currently fluid nature of first world labour markets, if you are going to have five careers in your life it is alright if you play around with your education. Indeed from our experience the people who are most successful are those that choose to take a broad degree with many subjects and then choose what to specialise in, whereas those that incessantly planned were more likely to discontinue their education before completion because their course wasn’t what they imagined.
Inane — “Indeed from our experience the people who are most successful are those that choose to take a broad degree with many subjects and then choose what to specialise”
Exactly what I am talking about.
However, I am not sure what you mean by incessantly planning. For everyone (at least in Canada), the first year of their undergraduate degree is general. It is called the core and context year — essentially being exposed to all disciplines. Then everyone must major in their second and third years.
But, there is absolutely no use taking a general liberal arts degree or specializing when you have no idea of what jobs are going to be available when you are finished. That is where people have to plan. Far too many individuals end up with training certificates or degrees and no jobs to apply for. Or, they don’t know how to market themselves — another form of planning.So, we are likely talking about the same things. Before one specializes, one has to have done their homework.
You get the picture. However, I would agree with you if someone only does planning and no action. Planning has to be done in a way that moves a person forward, not static or backwards.
Perhaps planning is the wrong word to use. But, most people don’t like the word strategize — they find it pretentious — which is what we are really talking about.