Start a conversation today about exploring careers!
As middle schoolers are learning about their interests and talents, they can also begin to learn more about careers that might be a good match for them in the future. Many schools help kids figure out how to learn about these careers or they help to identify “career clusters” (larger groupings of careers based on shared qualities, e.g., health sciences, human services). But you have a really important role as well in this process, as a parent/caregiver! The conversation starters below are the second of three pages of questions. Click the “Continue” button below to see more, or the “Return” button to go to the first page.
Conversation Starters
At home, you can support career exploration by asking your middle schooler:
- Have you learned about any careers that sound interesting to you? What about it sounds interesting?
- What jobs do you think you might be good at? Why? What have you learned about this career? How does this career match with your strengths/interests?
- Do you know someone who does this job? What do you think someone in this job does every day?
- How much education is needed to enter this career? What courses can you take in middle/high school that would help prepare you for this career or at least help you see if you like it?
Activities to try at home
- Explore the career clusters and examples of courses available for different careers at Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, Career Pathways. You can click on PowerPoints and PDF handouts to explore careers in each cluster.
- Explore videos of careers online. You can search YouTube using the phrase “a day in the life of” prior to the career name and My Next Move website by searching under the ‘browse careers by industry’ Many careers listed offer a video.
