Students, Schools, and the Art of Career Development

Career Counselling is not the end of the road, it’s the beginning. Or, for that matter nothing is (the end of the road), not even Career Development. Rather, Career Development is a continuous process, an ongoing lifelong one. It’s not something you squeeze in between school and job; it’s best started while at school, the earlier the better. Don’t wait for high school, start at Elementary or Middle school. It’s important for teachers at schools to double up as Career Counsellors, some do, others should.

Schooling is a time of transition, a threshold to the student’s future, and a bridge into the student’s destiny. Nothing has been more damaging to the students than to force them to make decisions on Career Choices and start with Career Preparations, without having an iota of insight into the world of Career Possibilities. So, what’s the ideal scenario? It’s to start to create awareness amongst the students about Career Options at the Elementary / Middle school. Career Development then is a time to build Career Awareness, not a time for premature Career Choices or Career Preparations.

It’s important that students are exposed to new Career Ideas and Possibilities, Options and Choices, without feeling the pressure to make a quick decision. Teachers also acting as Counsellors has the responsibility to build readiness in the students for future Career Planning. Students need to be given the opportunity to build visions of what they desire to do in their lives, and how they’d like to contribute to the society.

We suggest that the best way to go about it is to have Career Education integrated into the school curriculum. This helps students:

·         To not only Learn but also Apply the academic material that is being taught to them in school

·         To know and value self

·         To build self-esteem and confidence

·         To identify interests and build relationships between the school environment and the work force

·         To incorporate academic career pathways into classroom activities

·         To build academic, communication, problem solving, and social skills

·         To increase awareness of the need for future jobs skills

·         To see the connections between learning in school, academic skills, job related skills, and careers

·         To see career possibilities

·         To see themselves as a future contributor to the job force

·         To receive empowerment

·         To build self-determination

Perhaps, what should form a guiding force is to help them visualise how they could contribute to the society as responsible future world citizens.