College or Not?
This pathway typically takes about four years and leads to a bachelor's degree.
What is a four-year college/university?
This pathway focuses on learning specific, hands-on career skills such as welding, culinary arts, cosmetology, or electrical work.
What is a trade or vocational school?
This is short-term work experience that allows you to explore a career in a real workplace.
What is an internship?
This pathway involves starting and running your own business or creating a product or service.
What is entrepreneurship?
This pathway involves intentionally taking time after high school before beginning college or another long-term career pathway.
What is a productive gap year?
This type of college may offer associate degrees, certificates, career training, and opportunities to transfer to a university.
What is a community or state college?
In this pathway, you can work, learn a skilled profession, and get paid at the same time.
What is an apprenticeship?
This can show that you've completed specific training or demonstrated knowledge in a particular skill or industry.
What is a professional certification?
Which of these could be an example of entrepreneurship: tutoring, an online store, or a clothing business?
What is all of them?
Name ONE thing someone could do during a productive gap year.
What is working, volunteering, traveling, completing certifications, doing an internship, learning a new skill, or saving money?
A student wants to become a teacher and knows they will most likely need a bachelor's degree. Which pathway would be a logical choice?
What is a four-year college/university?
Two students want careers that don't necessarily require a four-year college degree. One wants to attend a program to learn welding, while the other wants to train as an electrician while working. What pathways best match their plans?
Trade/vocational program for welding; apprenticeship for electrician.
Name ONE certification mentioned in the presentation.
What is CPR certification, CNA, EMT, a real estate license, personal trainer certification, or Google IT Support?
Name TWO skills that can help an entrepreneur succeed.
What are creativity, financial management, communication, organization, or persistence?
A student graduates high school and immediately gets a retail job. Which pathway are they using?
What is entering the workforce?
A student wants to save money and stay living at home for a couple of years before earning a bachelor's degree. What pathway could they choose first?
What is community/state college?
A person wants to learn from experienced workers while developing the skills needed for a skilled profession. This pathway provides that type of hands-on learning.
What is an apprenticeship?
A high school student isn't sure whether they want to work with animals. What experience could they get to explore the career before committing to it?
What is an internship, job shadowing, or volunteer experience at a vet clinic or animal shelter?
A student starts a photography business, manages their own clients, sets prices, and promotes their services online. What career pathway are they using?
What is entrepreneurship?
Someone wants career training, leadership development, possible education benefits, and is willing to make a major commitment. Which pathway might they consider?
What is military service?
A student wants a career that requires a bachelor's degree, but they are concerned about the cost of attending a university for four years. Based on the pathways we learned, what could be a possible plan that allows the student to work toward a bachelor's degree while potentially lowering the cost?
What is starting at a community or state college, then transferring to a four-year university to complete the bachelor's degree?
A student says, “I want to learn a specific career skill, but I don't necessarily need a bachelor's degree. I want training that is focused on getting me ready for a particular job.” This description best matches this pathway.
What is trade or vocational school?
Why might someone choose a professional certification instead of a traditional degree?
What is because certifications are often shorter, focus on a specific skill, and can help someone get hired, develop skills, advance, or change careers?
Two students want to start businesses. Student A has a bachelor's degree but has never managed money, communicated with customers, or organized a business. Student B doesn't have a college degree but has strong communication, financial management, organization, creativity, and persistence. Based on the skills identified in our presentation, who may be better prepared to run a business—and why?
What is Student B, because entrepreneurship does not necessarily require a college degree, but strong business skills such as communication, financial management, organization, creativity, and persistence are important?
Two students both decide not to attend college immediately after high school. Student A spends the year without a plan and does not gain any new experience. Student B works, saves money, completes a certification, and gains experience through an internship. What makes Student B's choice a productive gap year rather than simply taking a year off?
What is having an intentional plan to gain experience, develop skills, save money, or prepare for a future career or education pathway?