EDUCATION & TRAINING DECISIONS FOR YOUR CAREER CHOICE

1. EDUCATION & TRAINING DECISIONS FOR YOUR CAREER CHOICE

2. Decision Making Process revisited • Identify the decision to be made. • Identify all possible alternatives (gather information). • Study and Evaluate your choices and recognize the consequences of each alternative. • Make a decision. Choose the best alternative course of action. • Act on your decision. • Evaluate your decision and the process.

3. So far… • (Step 2) Yougathered information about: • Yourself – interests, values, goals, personality • Suggested suitable careers • (Step 3) You evaluated your career choices • (Step 4) You choose a career that you felt would best suit you. You prepared a Career Profile for that occupation. • Part of the Career Profile was to look at what education or training needs were required

4. Where do you go from here? • With few exceptions, almost all of today's jobs call for further education or training after high school. • Education and training requirements differ with each profession. Some need only a certificate or license, while others require a post-secondary education degree or more. • We return to step 2 of the Decision Making Process. Gathering information to make a wise decision about your education and training choices will involve time, effort and money.

5. Choosing a School • Vocational technical centres • Provide training in various fields and obtain a certificate or diploma, and some provide preparation for licensing certifications • E.g. hair care, computer programming, auto repair • Flexible entrance requirements and relatively low cost • Trade School • A trade is an occupation that requires manual or mechanical skill • Trade schools train students for specific occupations • E.g. carpentry, machining, plumbing • Privately run so often more expensive than vocational technical centres

6. Choosing a School • College • Two-year degree and certificate programs in a variety of occupational areas • Usually less expensive than university • University • Four-year programs that require specialized training • E.g. law, medicine, architecture, pharmacy, teaching • Obtain a bachelor's degree upon completion of a set number of credits

7. Use the "E" of the R.E.A.S.O.N. problem solving process to choose a school • An important skill in problem solving is sorting through a multitude of information available. (Evaluate the information) • Find a school that meets your needs • Use printed data and on-site visits to compare: • Facilities and equipment – up to date? • Courses and programs of study – fit your schedule? – class sizes? • Graduation requirements – how many pass? • Housing – where to live? How far from classes? • Financing – can you get a refund if drop out? • Safety – what measures are taken?

8. Learn while you earn • Military service training • Offer opportunities to get paid while learning skills or trades • Hundreds of different occupations and professional careers • E.g. aeronautics, engineering, accounting • Must enlist for a certain number of years of active duty • Apprenticeships • Learn a skilled trade over two or more years of on-the-job experience and instruction • At the end of the apprenticeship, written and practical tests may be required before receiving a certificate or license for the trade

9. Learn while you earn • On-the-Job Training • Training to perform a particular job occurs after you are hired • Training can last from a few days to three years • Different from an apprenticeship because there is no formal written agreement between the employer and employee

10. Financing your Education and Training • Expenses may include tuition, fees, books, tools, supplies, residenceand transportation. • These expenses are investments in your future, since usually the more education and training you have, the more money you will be able to earn during your lifetime.

11. Financing your Education and Training • Financial Aid – from government, organizations, corporations or private individuals • Scholarships • Grants • Awards • Bursaries • Student Loans – interest free while in school • Variety of criteria is used in determining financial aid: • Academic achievement • Leadership potential • Community involvement • Financial need • Hobbies and affiliations • Personal characteristics and special talents

12. Financing your Education and Training • Working • Use savings from part-time jobs during high-school • Obtain a job on school campus • Work full-time for a while to save money to pay for education or training later • Cut your costs • Advanced placement courses • Choose a school located in your province • Live at home while going to school • Take courses all year so finish a degree in 3 ½ years instead of 4 years

13. Get work experience • If possible, get some work experience in your field of interest before finalizing your education and training plans. It will help you learn what you like to do, and what you don't. • Part-time jobs – chance to compare various work situations and job demands • Work-based learning programs – e.g. Co-op • Job shadowing • Volunteer work • Entrepreneurship

14. Developing Job Search Skills • Whether you're looking for a part-time job now, or a job after you finish post-secondary education or training, or changing a job after working, you need to have some job search skills. • Where to find a job • Job search tools – resume, cover letter, career portfolio • Interview skills • How to evaluate a job offer

15. Developing Job Search Skills • Using the text, Shaping Your Future • Read Chapter 26 (pages 469 to 486) • Answer the "Checking Your Knowledge" questions 1 to 10 (page 486)