Exploring Career Paths A general Introduction WHS-POP

Some career advice from the guys at the café “Find something you love to do, then figure out how to make money doing it” (John, small business owner) “Don’t be afraid to take risks – especially the risk of being independent and working for yourself. We live in a country where you can try that… and if it doesn’t work, you can get back on your feet. Fear holds too many great people back” (Jimmy, tradesman and entrepaneur)

Do you already have a destination in mind? What (or who) has inspired your choice? What are your main reasons for pursuing this career? Have you started researching this career? Do you have a real understanding of this career? What path will you have to take? What you can expect at the beginning, middle, and end of this career?

Elements to Consider While Performing Career Exploration

Personal Interest / Engagement What occupations match your skills and interests? Other concerns Indoor vs. Outdoor work Structure vs. Independence Routine vs. Changing demands Working with people, information, or things.

Financial How important is a large pay-cheque? Would you be willing to spend more time in school for a higher salary? Would you be willing to have less free time in exchange for a higher salary? Consider benefits – healthcare, pensions, etc.

Work Time vs. Personal/Family Time Will the time commitments of your career match your needs? Working hours per day/week. Standard “full time” employment = 40 hrs/week, but many jobs ask more. Fixed Hours vs. Changing Schedule (9-5 vs. shift work, or rotations) Family obligations, vacations, etc… (if family

Level of Education/Training required What training or certification is required? On the job? Apprenticeship? CEGEP / Vocational Education/ Technical certificate? University – Bachelors, Masters, PhD, etc… How long will it take you to qualify for this career? How expensive is the training or education required? School fees? Will you need loans/bursaries? Internships (paid vs. unpaid)?

Examples: Teacher in Quebec (in general) high school leaving CEGEP University (min 4 years, including unpaid internships). Grad school (PhD or Masters opens up CEGEP & University jobs) Doctor in Quebec (in general) High school leaving (focus calculus, biology, physics) CEGEP (focus on sciences, directed towards medicine) University (bachelors, around 3-4 years) Medical School (4 years) Post-Doctoral program (2-6 years, depending on specialization)

Do Some Digging! Go to the following site: Look at (min) 3 different “career clusters”. Find 5 jobs that interest you, and fill in the info sheet for each. Your choices should come from at least 3 different clusters.