Homeschooling gives you and your kids more freedom to choose the most relevant and engaging curriculum. That said, you’re not always going to have immediate access to common resources that are baked into traditional education systems. For instance, trained career advisors and counselors aren’t on hand to provide advice.
This isn’t necessarily an entirely bad thing entirely. With a little research and planning, you and your teen can collaborate on exploring diverse career options. You can also focus a lot of energy on adapting their learning to be the best fit for their ambitions. So, how do you get started? Let’s run through a few things to focus on.
Lead with Their Interests
Explore the skills and tasks related to your teen’s hobbies and interests, particularly those in STEM fields. For example, gaming can serve as a gateway to various tech careers far beyond just game design. The abilities your teen uses in their favorite games can translate into potential career paths. Teens who enjoy puzzle-based or complex strategy games may be drawn to problem-solving careers in fields like software development or data analysis.
Consider trying to get them involved in a career community. It can connect teens with real professionals, letting them catch a glimpse into their prospective career path. For example, women in tech have many organizations they can join and network with to get a leg up in a competitive industry.
This is relatively simple for some teenagers, as their hobbies might connect directly to career types. For instance, a teen with a love for art can parlay into a career in fashion design.
At the same time, this literal approach isn’t always achievable, and dream jobs don’t necessarily come from hobbies. The qualities of a good teacher aren’t as straightforward as those of a programmer or a designer, but many thrive in education and find it to be uniquely rewarding. Work with your child to understand what it is about their interests that particularly engages them and look for careers that feature these characteristics prominently.
So, have conversations with your teen. Ask them what it is specifically they enjoy or get out of the activities they do. From here, you create a list of the skills and topic focuses. Then, together, you can do some online research into careers that incorporate as many of these elements as possible.
Explore Salary Potential
Salary certainly isn’t the only factor in choosing a job, but it’s an important consideration. After all, it’s wise to ensure the career your teen pursues offers them compensation that is not just good for their financial stability but also a fair representation of the time, dedication, and skills they apply to it.
Therefore, once you have a list of potential careers, you and your teen could do some research into salaries now and the expected pay rates in the future. Sites like LinkedIn and Glassdoor can be good resources to understand what the current pay for different careers is at different levels of seniority, alongside what abilities are expected of professionals commanding those fees.
It’s also worth talking with your teen about how different factors can affect salary in many professions. For instance, the salaries truck drivers can expect to make will at least depend on how long they can drive each day. However, it can also be influenced by where they work. Truck drivers employed by large companies may earn a steady but smaller wage compared to independent owner-operators. Those who drive their own trucks and work with private contracts often bring in higher earnings and enjoy a more flexible schedule. Even the geographical area can affect how salaries differ. So, take time to discuss balancing your teen’s salary needs with the types of lifestyle they want to lead.
Consider the Job Market
One of the challenges in guiding your homeschooled teen in finding a career path is that they’re not immediately entering the job market. It may be years before they get an entry-level role in their industry, by which time the landscape may have changed drastically. This is a particular concern in many industries with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and how that might impact positions. Therefore, it’s essential to research the direction of the market.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) occupational outlook handbook can be a good resource here. Based on current market and economic data, the BLS has produced information that outlines the likely potential for growth in specific industries and professions. That said, it’s also important to seek the views of industry professionals, as they’re likely to have insights into the challenges and opportunities that are likely to be short, which can influence your teen’s path.
Another approach is to explore roles and industries that have consistently been showing development. For instance, skilled trades are on the rise in the job market, with various factors influencing demand for workers. This includes the need for tech-savvy workers to help traditional trade industries adapt to the digital landscape. There also continues to be a significant shortage of people in roles that have practical skills, from HVAC technicians to electricians. This isn’t an unusual choice, either. Many Gen Zers are shunning college to take up trades. Finding a trade role that meshes with your teen’s interests and ambitions can allow you to identify relevant education and apprenticeships.
Conclusion
Guiding homeschooled teens toward fulfilling careers requires some deep conversations and research. It’s important to ensure that it is not just financially enriching but personally fulfilling, too. Remember also not to send the message that the path you’re developing together is set in stone. Their interests and needs will likely change over time. By having open communication, you can give your teen the confidence to make adjustments that help them find the work and life that’s right for them.
