Parents can help with solid career choices

By Barbara Bowes

Have you ever taken time to sit back and reflect on “how did you get to where you are in your career?” Let’s face it, most of us have never even thought about it until we are forced into a career transition mode and are frantic to find another job. But, if you have taken some time to trace your career path, I wouldn’t be surprised if you’d have to admit you perhaps didn’t choose it at all. In fact, your career might just have happened through “dumb luck”.

You may have followed one of your parent’s career paths because it seemed comfortable or they influenced you in that direction. On the other hand, you may have outrightly rejected your parent’s career and chose something else. Still others embarked on their career path because they admired a teacher, a relative or a TV character. Or, you may have landed an interesting summer job and frankly, simply stayed there and progressed in your career.

No matter what your circumstances, I think I can guarantee you most people, even at high school graduation level, did not spend much time exploring career options, potential graduate labour market opportunities, salary and promotional scales, the work environment or the training and education requirements for success. And as you can expect, very few had an effective career plan.

The result of course is that many people are “stuck” in unsatisfactory jobs and have changed jobs only to find that it was the “same old, same old” at their new place of work. Others who are a bit more courageous have totally changed careers. And unfortunately, in today’s world and in a wide variety of industry sectors, many employees are being confronted with unplanned career transition and the task of upgrading their outdated skills. At the same time, however, industry after industry, company after company are begging for skilled workers, particularly in the so called, “trades” and technical areas. Yet without these skilled workers, our economic prosperity is at risk.

However, there is a two pronged lesson in all of this. First of all, today’s workers and parents recognize their children need much more sophisticated strategies for making their career decisions. And in addition to parents, government policy makers and educators as well, recognize that youth need more help in making career choices and that career explorations must start at an earlier stage of their life. As a result, there are a number of initiatives being undertaken to overcome this dilemma.

One of the key organizations blazing a trail toward increasing skills development in Canada is called Skills Canada Manitoba. Established in 1998, the mission of this organization is to provide awareness to students, parents and teachers about opportunities available in skilled trade and technology fields. Their goal is to target youth at grade eight, or so called middle school to senior four, young apprentices, college and post secondary students and introduce them to the basic employability skills, a variety of occupational profiles, options for post-secondary schooling in trades and technologies, and strategies and information for successful career planning. Recognizing that textbook and teacher driven lectures are not enough, this organization ensures that students experience real life stories, engage in hands-on experience and conference with other students about life/work challenges and successes. This approach encourages student confidence in approaching their career choices.

Some of their programs include:

Leader Support Presentation – Skills Canada promotes the importance of effective career choices by meeting with key influencers, school superintendents, guidance counselors and administrators providing them with information and helping them to understand the benefits of early career management training.

In-school Presentations – school presentations are designed for different age groups and direct students how to make informed career choices. They are fun and easy to understand. Currently programs are presented to senior 1-4, middle school to senior 4, however, plans are in place to begin working with middle school and elementary children.

Skills Manitoba Competition – an exciting opportunity for youth, the Manitoba Skills Competition is an Olympic-style, multi-trade and technology competition for high school, young apprentices, college and university students. Over 450 young people, along with parents and advisors enjoy a competition that showcases Manitoba talent. Gold medalists then compete against their peers in the Canadian Skills Competition.

Young Women’s Conference – a one day symposium for young women in grade eight introduces a variety of careers through hand-on team building, group activities and a panel discussion with female mentors from a variety of non-traditional trade and technology occupations. Participants will learn about different career skillsets, entrance requirements job prospects and career planning.

Skilled Trades and Technology Showcase – a one day skilled trades and technology showcase is available to grade eight students where participants spend the day at a designated vocational, applied arts, science or technology school. Students create hands-on projects in different vocational areas and learn about entrance requirements, job prospects and career planning through their industry tours.

I fully agree with Ms. Debbie Leiter, Executive Director of Skills Canada, that young people today cannot afford to apply their parent’s career choice strategy. Technology, evolving markets and changing demographics are simply getting ahead of us and we have to re-evaluate how to make career decisions.

Parents and employers often feel left out of the equation with respect to career development and are not aware of how to approach this topic. The following guideposts will keep you in charge.

• Check your own attitude toward professional versus technical careers. University and technical college occupations have equalized over the past number of years as both continue to make significant contributions to a strong economy. Avoid transferring any negativity to your student, let them explore a wide range of occupations.
• As a parent, don’t leave your child’s career in someone else’s hands; take the initiative to identify your own informational resources. The HRDC website is full of data on occupational profiles, labour market conditions, salaries and training requirements. Read it, explore it and keep in touch with the latest trends.
• Occupational interests start at an early age so watch your children closely for signs of interest and talent. Ensure you begin talking about what they are good at and what they like to do. Encourage them to explore these skills further and from an occupational perspective.
• Encourage if not insist your student continue with high school mathematics and science studies for as long as they can; to do otherwise may eliminate them several future career choices.

Thankfully the issue of youth career management has caught the attention of policy makers and educators and new initiatives and dynamic partnerships are finally being put into place. With the advantage of inschool career programs, youth career conferences, hands-on career awareness experience, and Olympic style competitions at the technical level as well as the annual Rotary Career Fair and Mini-University summer camps, young people today won’t have to experience their parents “dumb luck” career path.

Sources: Interview with Ms. Debbie Leiter, Executive Director, Skills Canada and Ms. Penny McMillan, Board Member and review of documentation provided by the organization.