Earlier this summer, we began a fellowship for high school students to explore and learn about the impact of having access to career exploration programs in high school. While our fellows learned about the importance of advocacy, the power of storytelling, and how the education system impacts their high school experience, we learned about their goals and who supported them through the process of finding a career pathway after graduation.

During high school, Travon felt unsure of what he wanted to do after graduation. As a senior, he tried some classes that interested him, and his brother-in-law connected him to Developing Our Youth, a community organization helping students in his area explore career options. While getting a haircut, his barber mentioned HVAC as a reliable career option. Travon has decided to pursue a career as an HVAC technician and is looking forward to working on getting his OSHA certification. He is thankful to have the support of his sister and his mom throughout the career exploration process.

Dulce moved from a small town out-of-state to a big school in IL during her freshman year. That is when she noticed nearly all of her peers already had a career plan for after graduation. Her school district begins career exploration for students in middle school. By the time students get to high school, many of them have already chosen a career path.

While she felt behind, she always knew she was interested in the medical field. Through the HOSA program in her school, she was able to take multiple AP/dual credit classes and programs to explore a career in the medical field. She has decided to pursue a career as a radiology nurse and is thankful to have the support from her teacher at the HOSA program.

Kailani began exploring different career options in high school when she was connected to various CTE and Dual Credit classes. She followed her interest in working with children and discovered she wanted to be an elementary school teacher. Through her courses, she learned about early childhood education and gained work-based experience working with teachers in their classrooms.

She will take her class credits and clinical hours with her to a community college in the fall. Kailani is passionate about advocating for CTE and Dual Credit courses to be available for all high school students because she has seen the positive impact they have had on her and her peers. She is thankful to have the support from her high school teachers during this career exploration process.

Israel began taking CTE classes after connecting with his school’s College & Career Readiness Center (CCRC). He had the opportunity to try a variety of career exploration classes and enjoyed computer science the most. CCRC helped him get an internship with his district’s IT department. He is excited to pursue a career in cybersecurity and continue his education in computer science. He is thankful to have the support from CCRC, and his internship supervisor and coworkers during his career exploration journey.

Grace began exploring different career paths as a freshman. She has been able to take advantage of multiple dual credit classes, CTE classes, and hands-on learning experiences. After these diverse experiences, she discovered her love for education and will pursue a career as a middle school math & science teacher. She has become a leader in her school through multiple clubs and an advocate for education. Grace encourages all high school students to take advantage of any opportunity and try new things because you never know what you will discover.

Kushi began exploring engineering classes at her high school and discovered she wanted to pursue it as a career. When she was connected to her school’s college and career center, she took advantage of their internship program. She worked with two engineering companies as an intern and gained valuable professional work experience. She is excited to study civil engineering in college and is thankful for having the support of her college and career counselor in this process.

As a freshman, Reggie felt nervous and a bit lost in a new school. Basketball helped him connect with his teammates and support each other in achieving their goals. They focused on working together as a team and winning games while focusing on school and getting straight ‘A’s. Reggie enjoyed his computer science class and decided to pursue it as a career. He is excited to continue basketball in college and pursue a career in computer science. He is thankful to have support from his mom throughout his academic and career exploration journey.

As a freshman, Bianca began exploring careers through her high school classes, and she enjoyed her Law class the most. She joined her school’s mock trial team and internship program. She was able to intern at a law firm and legal aid clinic. Her internship experiences allowed her to explore the impact of law and how she could support her community by representing people who need it the most. She is grateful to have participated in the internship program and have an internship coordinator who has connected her with many opportunities. She is looking forward to pursuing a career as a lawyer.

Their stories are unique and diverse, but they all showcase a student’s need to have a support system to achieve their goals. These students relied on counselors, mentors, college & career centers, teachers, and family members to support them in the career exploration process. Our students made the most of their high school experience, but they did not all have access to the same resources. What if all Illinois students could have access to the same career exploration resources? In a state where most high school graduating seniors do not attend a 4-year university within 12 months of graduation, we need to ensure all students are receiving adequate support in career exploration beyond the traditional college application process. We are proud that our fellows became a part of our advocacy work for high school success.

*Oftentimes, one size doesn’t fit all. In the same way our students have different career paths, they also have different image sizes!