Education is an important tool for child's holistic development- Social, Emotional, Physical, Intellectual and so on. The school education planning should consider all these elements. In most of the scenarios, the focus is only on getting good grades and percentages. In this rush, the students too slipup to focus on their long-term career goals.
If the student has long-term career planning on paper, he starts thinking subconsciously towards it. He might start following the experts from that field, he might update himself with the current affairs of that field. The vital benefit he gets out of this is, that he will not just study for exams, but to get ready for future career and challenges and innovations.
Example: If a student during his schooling acknowledges ‘Doctor’ as his career choice. This choice will further help him deep dive into the advanced specialties, such as cardiology, orthopedics and so on. In this case, the child even before admitting into medical university, is aware of his end goal.
Goals are like a map. They help us determine where we want to end up, and give us personal direction on which to focus our energy.
- Catherine Pulsifer, Focus A Direction
The Focus is very important for the students in their studies as well as for their career planning. In studies, it will build up their enthusiasm. And for a career, it will help them to dwell on an idea.
Our education system is more exam-centric, the concentration and effort of the students are more on getting good marks in the exams. The school administration, teachers, and parents should help and encourage the students to focus on learning, knowledge creation and career planning instead of grades and competition.
The economic developmental model gives more emphasis to science and technology-based careers. The students also get attracted to this careers very easily. Instead, the students should get an opportunity to explore infinite careers. If a child finds more interest in poems and stories, let him pursue, explore and enjoy his interest. Let him carve his career in literature. If a child finds chemistry to be more interesting, let him explore the vast field of chemistry. Let him plan and build his career in this field.
“Do it! People who succeed don’t just sit and think about what they want to do. They take meaningful, purposeful, directional action consistently and persistently. Every step they take puts them toward the outcome they’re looking for.” — Dr. Phil
Generally, if we go to a school and ask a child as to what he likes to become once he is grown up. The two most famous phrases are either 'Doctor' or 'Engineer'. Alas, these two are not the only destinations and career paths.
The school administration, teachers, and parents have to take the responsibility to facilitate students to be aware of various career paths. Most of the Career Counsellors believe that Secondary school is a very vital period for students to work on finding their interest areas and career paths.
And, even in Primary school, the students could be given an opportunity to discuss career paths. The schools can conduct workshops on careers, and also career mapping could be done with the help of experts.
By:
Maaz Mohammed A.Q
Learning Strategist
Ccels La Education