In the 19th Century education was a privilege, an opportunity only available to a select few. Today, however, education has shifted from a privilege to a competition.
Society has come to view education as a race for status, often at the expense of a person’s finances and overall well-being. Today’s expectations force abrupt transitions from adolescence to adulthood, placing immense pressure on high school seniors. In fact, 52% of high school students feel pressure to make decisions about their future too soon.
Many graduating 18-year-olds are expected to know where they will attend college, what they will study, and where they will work after graduation, as if there were a single path that would guarantee lifelong success. The truth is that many middle-aged adults make career and life changes, so continually expecting 18-year-olds to know exactly what their future holds is both unrealistic and unhealthy.
While college is a wonderful opportunity, high schools offer a plethora of resources for many career paths that are often overlooked. Pre-apprenticeship programs, job shadowing, and industry certifications also provide excellent paths forward. One such program, Michigan Virtual’s Career Pathways Programs, offers a wide range of focus areas, including cybersecurity, insurance management, healthcare, agriculture and more, allowing students to gain industry certifications, knowledge, and entry-level experience before graduating. Through it, adult certification courses are adapted to the high school level by extending course timelines and expanding project work. The programs also operate like typical online classes: easily accessible and incorporated into students’ routines.
For those for whom college is not an option or interest, industry certifications can help students find a rewarding career and secure employment in various fields at faster, more cost-effective rates. For example, the Agriculture Associate Certification course, which was introduced this year, provides a tangible credential for employment and resume building.
Certified students gain access to AEST’s career portal, where employers target certified candidates specifically, giving those students a leg up in the employment search. Students are encouraged to take the available certification exam after completing the course to fully benefit from the opportunities available to them. With pathways like these, we can give today’s students more options that fit their interests and are more likely to lead to fulfilling and meaningful careers.
At Michigan Virtual, we continue to develop additional career pathways and certification options for students, which is why we collaborate with partners to leverage our current courses and add courses that align with industry certifications. For instance, the Certification Pathway in Insurance and Risk Management is a one-year program offered in partnership with The University of Olivet. The coursework prepares students to earn their CPCU designation through The Institutes Knowledge Group.
Programs like these demonstrate how career success can be achieved through alternative pathways. There is a demand for jobs across various industries that don’t require a four-year degree, many of which can be secured with a 2-year degree or an industry certification, each offering a faster, more cost-effective path.
Industry certifications are just one example of the educational resources that schools can provide to help students build their future careers. As educators, it is our job not only to provide avenues for student growth but also to encourage students and make them aware of all that is available to them. In doing so, we can help to alleviate the pressures our youth feel and provide a safe space for career flexibility, engagement, economic growth and lifelong success.
Niki Wiederman is a career pathways specialist at Michigan Virtual.
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Career pathways abound, if we could just help students see them | Opinion
Reporting by Niki Wiederman, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Niki Wiederman, The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
