In order for students to be fully prepared for a successful future, they need opportunities to explore a variety of pathways before they graduate from high school. Exposure to career options – including the military – helps students understand the skills and credentials they will need to acquire to achieve their professional and personal goals. Through experiences like internships and apprenticeships, dual enrollment and other college-level coursework, and vocational and technical education options, students gain real-world experience and a practical understanding of employment.
To anticipate the career market of the future and help our kids succeed in getting there, WRNJ advocates for:
- Programs that routinely engage the employer community to ensure that middle and high school curricula and course offerings are aligned with forward-looking workforce expectations and expose students to in-demand and future-minded careers and pathways;
- Early exposure for students to career pathways across a variety of industry sectors;
- Ways to better understand our school to work pipeline, supporting untapped markets and encouraging credentials of value for students; and
- Programs that promote adaptability and resiliency in students and the acquisition of in-demand “soft skills” like communication and problem-solving.
Resources for Students and Families
- Check out the XQ State Data Sheet for NJ on High School and the Future of Work.
- See results from a recent Kauffman Foundation survey on the disconnects between high school and the real world.
- Visit the state Career Connections website to explore job and career opportunities.
- Learn about the Many Paths, One Future internship opportunity.
- Explore the College Board and Roadtrip Nation tools for career exploration.
- Check out the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ page on Career Planning for High Schoolers.
- Explore Advance CTE’s Career Clusters.
- Read about the GlassRoots program in Newark, connecting students to business experiences in the arts.
Resources for Educators
- See the New Jersey Student Learning Standards for 21st Century Life and Careers.
- Visit the NJDOE’s Office of Career Readiness web page for a variety of information and resources.
Hear what NJ Chamber of Commerce Foundation President Donna Custard has to say about the importance of career readiness:
