Education & Training

When investigating different career options, be sure to consider your level of skills, education, and training. Each occupation requires a particular set of them. It’s important to know exactly what qualifications are needed for your dream job. After you have identified the qualifications you need, the next step is to decide how you will go about acquiring those you don’t have. Quite often, you will need to return for some type of schooling to get a specific degree, diploma or certificate. Or it may require developing certain skills through less formal channels.

Whichever route you need to take, keep the following points in mind:

Double check the importance or necessity of the qualifications. If further schooling is needed, make sure the program or courses you enroll in are recognized by employers. This can’t be stressed enough. You don’t want to spend four years in college getting a degree that nobody in your chosen occupation accepts as valid.
Contact the school or schools that offer the program you plan to take to make sure you have all the requirements you need to enroll in the program.
Don’t wait until the last minute to start investigating your options. Talk with your parents, teachers, or career counselors about the choices you plan to make. The less hurried your decision, the more likely it will be the right decision.
Maybe you’ve always known what was next for you after high school. Maybe you started planning for college back in seventh grade. Or maybe you have no clue. Either way, keep in mind that people nearing the end of high school have more options open to them than almost anybody else.

Here’s a map to the basics.

College (the 4-year plan)

If you hope to succeed in most professional careers, you’ll need at least a bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university. You’ve probably heard it before, but it is worth considering: the average college graduate makes a lot more money over a lifetime than the average non-college graduate.

College (the 2-year plan)

Delaware’s two-year college enrollment is growing by leaps and bounds, which ought to tell you something. More and more Delaware high school graduates are deciding they want to keep learning—but they also want to live at home, work, save money, or ease their way into the academic challenges of higher education. A lot of careers (in fields like health, computers, and petrochemicals) open up to you with a two-year associate’s degree. Plus, you’ve got the option of transferring to a four-year school to finish up a bachelor’s degree.

Get certified

Technical colleges and career schools offer hundreds of opportunities for you to earn a certificate, a technical diploma, or even a degree that might help you snag a job in a shorter amount of time—often as little as a few weeks or a few months. Delaware Technical & Community College, with campuses in convenient locations throughout the state, offers training for everything from computers to physical therapy.

Join the Military

Joining one of the armed forces straight out of high school is kind of like rolling lots of options into one. You can serve your country, earn a paycheck, get outstanding career training, pick up critical “soft skills” like self-discipline and leadership, and sock away money to pay for college after you get out of the service—all at the same time. It’s not for everyone: part of the responsibility and leadership may involve putting your life on the line.

Whether your dream job requires years of education past high school or on-the-job training, here are some general tips that will help you

All high school students need a solid track record in English, math, science, social studies and a foreign language – whether they are headed for college, the workplace or the military.
Select your electives wisely. Choose ones that will help you gain skills and knowledge that will prepare you for the career you’d like to have.
Technology/computer courses are a definite plus for all career fields.
Take the most advanced courses you can handle – such as Honors or Advanced Placement courses.