There is More Than One Pathway for Your Teen After High School

If you’re a parent with a student in high school, it can feel like a lot has changed since your own high school experience. And that can impact discussions you have with your young person about how to best navigate their future.  

So as your teen begins to engage in the college and career planning process and build their confidence about the future, you can play a key role in helping them explore those ideas across a multitude of pathways that are available – from four-year and two-year degrees to certifications and job training.  

BigFuture hosted a conversation specifically for parents on November 16 for BigFuture Live, a series of community events where students and families can get their questions answered. Together with The Coalition for Career Development Center’s Dr. Scott Solberg and Georgia high school counselor Timica Parker, we lifted up three tips for your student to consider now that can help in the future.   

1. Thinking about the options within pathways can create space for inevitable shifts.  

As parents, your teen’s career goals may not always align with the vision you have for them. But by engaging in conversations with them and their school early, you can help them find the right fit that will offer them more opportunities in the future. "I typically have them do career interest inventories. [For example], if they want to do a four-year pathway, but aren't sure what they want to explore, then I have them look at institutions with a wide variety of majors, so they have options,” said Parker. Exploring options includes helping your teen develop transferable skills that are in-demand now because while the decision on what comes next can feel big in the moment, we know that a decision at age sixteen or seventeen can change at age twenty or thirty.  

2.Certificates can launch students into a pathway early on. 

If your teen isn’t sure what to do, the early college opportunities are great. Certificate programs can help them start to build their identity, discover their interests and talents, and complement courses they are taking to connect what is happening in the classroom to what is happening in the world of work. "There are lots of starting points to finding success. My nephew got an entry level certification, got a new job, got a certification, got a new job, then got a two-year degree, got a better job, then got a four-year degree,” said Dr. Solberg. “He didn’t think he could do this but as he’s gaining success, he’s having higher aspirations for himself.” And even if your teen identifies one pathway for right after high school, it doesn’t mean that they can’t discover another pathway in the future when they feel ready or when learn more about what they want to do. 

3.The two-year college pathway can be most responsive to regional opportunities.  

Dr. Solberg emphasized that when it comes to local and regional career opportunities, many pathways, but especially two-year colleges, can be a great option to explore. "Each of our regions in the United States has specific opportunities in terms of labor market and it is important to know those opportunities,” said Dr. Solberg. “It is helpful to know about those, and two-year colleges tend to be most responsive to those regional markets. They have deep relationships with internships and work-based learning opportunities.” That can create a robust network for your teen when they graduate. Take a few minutes to chat with them and ask: What talent and skills are a strength for you? What do you want to do or enjoy doing? How can we learn more about how those connect to opportunities in the region? With those responses in mind, your teen can explore more than 4,000 institutions and filter from certifications, two-year, and four-year degrees and find one that matches with their goals.  

For parents looking for more guidance on supporting their young person on planning for life after high school, check out our free hub of resources.