On average, each person in today’s high school generation will have at least five different careers. Considering this statistic, the best education will give students the tools to flexibly respond to the job market. It is not necessary for a student to know his or her future career or major before initiating the college search process.

However, there are many resources available for students who want to research different career options. For those students who already have a career in mind, the Occupational Outlook Handbook is a place to find the answers to these questions: What education does one need to pursue this career? What typical salary and working conditions are common in this career? Is the number of available positions in this career likely to grow or shrink in the coming years?

For those students who are curious, there are a number of free personality assessments that give suggestions for careers that might be a good match. They include The Entrepreneur Test, The Career Key, The Interest Survey, and The Meyer’s Briggs Test.

Some students may wish to look at career oriented apprenticeship programs. The page is an excellent resource maintained by the U.S. Departments of Labor and Education. This site is particularly useful, because it has up to date information about high growth industries and apprenticeships within those industries.