Career Information

Career exploration is important for high school students because it helps them make informed
decisions about their future. Here’s why it matters:

  1. Self-Discovery – Exploring careers helps students identify their interests, strengths, and values,
    making it easier to choose a career path that suits them.
  2. Goal Setting – It allows students to set realistic educational and career goals, ensuring they take
    the right courses and gain relevant skills.
  3. Informed Decision-Making – Researching different careers prevents students from making
    hasty choices and helps them understand job expectations, salary prospects, and required
    education.
  4. Skill Development – Early exploration helps students build important skills through internships,
    part-time jobs, or volunteer work, giving them a head start in the workforce.
  5. Financial Planning – Understanding career options helps students choose the right college or vocational training, potentially reducing student debt and ensuring a good return on investment.
  6. Adaptability – The job market is always changing. Career exploration exposes students to emerging fields and job trends, helping them remain flexible and competitive. By starting early, students can gain clarity and confidence in their career choices, setting them up for long-term success.

View the links below to start exploring.

Next Steps Idaho: This is the Idaho State Board of Education’s college and career planning resource
for high school students. Students can browse careers, take self-assessments, use career planning
tools, and create their resumes and cover letters.

Career Tech Education (CTE): Seventeen Idaho Career Technical Schools (CTS) and six technical
colleges across the state provide robust career-focused instruction to students in grades 8-12. The
curriculum is made available to students attending regular Idaho high schools as well. Students
who enroll in a CTE program learn by doing and gain real-world skills that employers are seeking.

Occupational Outlook Handbook: The Occupational Outlook Handbook is a publication of the
United States Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics that includes information about the
nature of work, working conditions, training and education, earnings and job outlook for hundreds
of different occupations in the United States. It is the government's premier source of career
guidance featuring hundreds of occupations.