– Resources for Parents –
How AMBE Supports Parents
We have a variety of resources available to help you navigate the steps in assisting your child in career exploration. We provide individual career path assessments, career exploration coaching, connections to job shadowing and mentoring opportunities and many expert career resources.
Does your child need help exploring careers and choices for after high school?
Help Your Child Begin Career Planning
Start by asking your child, “do you have any ideas about what you want to do when you graduate?” If your child seems unsure, use these tips to help kickstart the career decision-making process.
- Have a conversation about his or her personal talents and strengths and how those can correlate with specific career paths.
- Have your child take a career self-assessment to uncover strengths he or she may not see.
- Recommend your child talk with teachers and guidance counselors to align interests with specific classes or technical school options.
- Research career fields with your child.
Talk to them about the value of networking. Help them find career mentoring, job shadowing or summer job opportunities within their field of interest.
Ways AMBE can assist:
- Job shadowing connections
- Career mentoring connections
- Individual career assessments and coaching
- Mock interviews and interview tips
- Career resources and more
Parent Resources
Use the following checklist to help your child with career research.
- Ask your child what occupation they are interested in and why.
- Find a description of the occupation, including main duties and responsibilities.
- Research education and training requirements for that career field.
- Are there other requirements, such as licensure or certification, for this occupation? If yes, what steps must be taken to meet the requirement?
- Research what the low-end, median and high-end wages are.
- Research the job outlook and opportunities for advancement in this field.
- Discuss with your child the requirements (ability, skills, interest, etc.) to work in this occupation. Does your child think the requirements match? Do you agree?
Students from Mercer and Auglaize County schools have the opportunity to attend Tri Star Career Compact during their last two years of high school. The joint vocational school offers a broad range of classes at the high school level, from advanced manufacturing to marketing to welding.
Going to a vocational school does not mean your child can’t or won’t go to college. Career-technical education students in Ohio must meet the same academic requirements of all high school students, along with completing the coursework in their chosen field.
Tri Star provides the technical skills employers are looking for today, hands-on training and the academics needed for post-secondary training and education, if they so choose.
When it comes to career exploration and planning, your child can’t do it alone. The process is often overwhelming and may get pushed aside as a result.
Parents can help break this process down into manageable tasks and provide support and guidance. Parents have the greatest influence over their children’s career choices!
Parenting Tips to Help Your Child with Career Exploration
- Career decision-making is a process and skill that can and should be taught to students.
- The goal of career decision-making is to help students organize their thoughts about topics important in choosing a career.
- It’s important to assess one’s style of decision-making to help overcome obstacles that may inhibit the process.
- You are one of their first role models and can instill a positive view of all kinds of work and career.
- You have the best knowledge of your child’s interests and abilities.
- The most valuable things parents can do to help a student with career planning are: Listen, be open to ideas, and help your student find information.