STREET. PAUL, Minn. – What do you want to be when you grow up? That's a question high school students have been grappling with for a long time. But today, students have access to much more information than in the past about what they could do, specifically, as a job after graduation.
And that's changing the way students think about whether or not they want to go to college, or when they want to go.
These changes in attitude were evident in March at Central High School here, at a day-long event called “Opportunities Fair.” More than 100 local businesses set up tables with company posters and brochures about what it means to work for them, with representatives available to answer questions.
Some of the jobs represented require college degrees. Others don't. Some of the employers here said they have career paths for both, such as a medical device company that is looking for people who have finished high school to work in its factory, as well as college graduates to join its design teams. And other companies seek talented students for entry-level jobs, promising to help them pay for college or more training later if necessary.
“I don't know if I'm going to go to college right after high school,” said one junior. “But I think at some point in my future, when I want to get a professional job, I'll probably go to college before doing that. I don't think I should rush. “I don’t want to end up failing college or anything like that.”
That's something people who work with high school students about their options hear more these days, says Liz Williams, program director for Greater Twin Cities United Way. Part of her job is helping high schools establish programs that show students their career options.
“When I think about my own journey,” Williams said, “I have a degree in Spanish and Portuguese, so it was really cool to study. I had to travel, I had to learn languages. But it also didn't give me any direction as to what careers were possible. And then I had to find it on my own.”
Today students are “asking better questions,” he said. “So I think there's a lot of wisdom in that skepticism of 'I'm not sure college is right for me.' I know I will have to go into debt. “I have a cousin, a father who has taken on that kind of debt and I see what that is like.” They also see adults who may not have debt but hate the work they do. …So I think there's a tendency to take a step back and really think about what they want to do, and if it's college, think more critically about 'Why college?' and 'University for what?'”
This is the fourth episode of our Doubting College podcast series, where we explore: What happened to public belief in college? And how does that influence the decisions young people make about what to do after high school?
In this installment we will focus on the opportunities young people have today, the changing ways high school counselors and educational leaders present those options, and what these students think about their options.
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, SpotifyYouTube or wherever you listen to podcasts, or use the player on this page.
