Preparing High School Students for the Workforce

Posted by Des Sinkevich on March 18, 2022

The first step on any career path is often decided upon in high school, as students explore different interests and hobbies. But whether they’re confident in their future career goals or still undecided, these students have one thing in common: they often feel unprepared for work after graduation. A 2019 survey found that, while 81% of high school students felt their education was preparing them for college, only 52% felt that they were being prepared for the workforce.

As many students choose to get a job right out of high school due to the rising costs of higher education, they’re left to navigate the ups and downs of a tumultuous economy on their own, making it more likely that they will pursue whatever jobs are available versus making decisions that lead to a steady, long-term career. By offering career counseling, job-readiness courses, and career-focused classes long before graduation day, you can prepare your learners for success.

Job readiness isn’t just having specific skills to perform specific job duties. It also means having a set of skills that are transferable to any career in any industry. Often called soft skills, these include

• Interpersonal communication
• Time management
• Adaptability 
• Teamwork 
• Creativity 
• Problem solving
• Leadership skills

While it can depend on the job, many employers prioritize soft skills when reviewing job applicants’ resumes. By teaching soft skills as part of your high school curriculum, you can prepare your students to qualify for jobs and better understand how to build a successful career.

Further, teaching skills like resume and cover letter writing, interview dos and don’ts, and other practical skills can help students stand out when applying for jobs, whether that’s after high school or college.

Besides teaching practical skills that are applicable to any job or path after high school, preparing students to narrow down their career path choices can help them build rewarding lives. Whether you offer one-on-one career counseling or simply make information available to your learners, you can help them learn more about what choices can help them build the future they want.

Other methods of helping learners narrow down career options include personality tests and setting up internship or job shadowing opportunities.

While many high school students are aware that college is a viable choice after they finish their diploma, information about trade schools and career-focused programs may not be as readily available. In order to prepare your learners for the workforce, they need to know all the options that are available to them for training and education post-diploma.

Encourage learners who have interest in trades or skilled jobs to explore technical schools and training that can help them begin a career they’re passionate about. For those who are interested in college, encourage them to explore career paths that are available for each major before they settle on a school to attend.

It can also be helpful to provide career-focused courses that can help students learn about potential jobs while earning credits toward graduation. Offering career pathway courses to high schoolers can not only help them decide what they do want to do after high school, it can give them a head start on reaching their goals!