Episode 158: Why Waiting Until High School To Plan Careers Fails Kids

If middle school feels too early to think about life after high school, the data says otherwise. I explore why so many classrooms lack career-connected learning, how this fuels anxiety and disengagement, and what it takes to match a child’s natural aptitudes with real-world opportunities. From the sharp drop in four-year college plans to the rise of non-degree pathways, I trace the shifts families are navigating and share tools to turn uncertainty into momentum.

I walk through a practical roadmap: start with aptitude discovery around age 14, layer in interest exploration, and add hands-on experiences like job shadowing, internships, apprenticeships, and service learning. You’ll hear why durable skills—teamwork, problem solving, critical thinking, flexibility—show up in most job postings and how students build them through real projects, not worksheets. I also look at what schools, employers, and policymakers can do right now: expand access to personalized assessments, integrate career relevance into core classes, invest in work-based learning, and create flexible schedules that let students learn at job sites and in labs.

Parents remain the biggest influence, so I share candid guidance for starting early, asking better questions at school, and using Edtech to fill gaps when programs are missing. By connecting strengths to in-demand roles, students shift from passing tests to pursuing purpose. The goal is simple and urgent: help every student graduate with both a diploma and a resume—confident, informed, and ready to choose college, training, work, or service with clarity.

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Chapters

• 0:00 Host Intro And Mission
• 3:45 Is Middle School Too Early
• 5:45 The Readiness And Exposure Gaps
• 9:45 What Schools And Leaders Can Do
• 12:55 Survey Trends And Parent Influence
• 17:47 Aptitudes, Belonging, And Engagement
• 22:17 Work-Based Learning That Transforms
• 26:37 Four Trends Shaping Preparation
• 31:17 Proven Activities That Boost Plans

Transcript

SPEAKER_00: 1:02

Welcome to another episode of K-12 Public Education Insights, Empowering Parents of Color Podcast. The podcast that converges at the intersection of educational research and parental actions. It's about making the trends, topics, and theories in public education understandable so that you can implement them into practical, actionable strategies that work for your children. My name is Dr. Kim J. Fields, former corporate manager, turned education researcher, and advocate, and I'm the host of this podcast. I got into this space after dealing with some frustrating interactions with school educators and administrators, as well as experiencing the microaggressions that I faced as an African-American mom raising my two kids who were in the public school system. I really wanted to understand how teachers were trained and what the research provided about the challenges of the public education system. Once I gained the information and the insights that I needed, I was then equipped to be able to successfully support my children in their educational progress. This battle-tested experience is what I provide as action steps for you to take. It's like enjoying a bowl of educational research with a sprinkling of mother wisdom on top. If you're looking to find out more about the current information and issues in education that could affect you or your children and the action steps you can take to give your children the advantages they need, then you're in the right place. Thanks for tuning in today. I know that staying informed about K-12 public education trends and topics is important to you. So keep listening. Give me 30 minutes or less, and I'll provide insights on the latest trends, issues, and topics pertaining to this constantly evolving K-12 public education environment. Is your middle school child ready for life after high school? By all indications, based on research, more than likely he or she is not ready for life after high school. You may be thinking, but it's too early for my middle school child to be thinking about life after high school. But it's really not. Middle school students need early access to opportunities that empower them to explore their careers or career fields that match their interests and strengths. In this episode, I explore classrooms that lack career-connected learning opportunities and how those can hamper children's ability to adapt to their interests. I also delve into what the career exposure and career readiness gaps are all about and why it's important to address these gaps sooner rather than later. Let's gain some insight on this. Unfortunately, there are way too many classrooms that lack career-connected learning opportunities that help middle school students see how their education applies in the real world. Research points to a growing disconnect between students' education and their preparedness for real world success. Students seem to be navigating a rapidly changing world with outdated tools and minimal guidance. This uncovers an uncomfortable and deepening crisis that urgent action is needed to redesign how schools prepare young people for life after high school. Only 35% of 2024 graduates were heading to a four-year college, which is a steep drop from 55% in 2019. This was before the threat of decertifying certain degrees that's been recently proposed by the Trump administration. In any case, 77% of these 2024 graduates said they would have been more engaged in school if they better understood their strengths and career options. Half of the graduates said they lacked work-based learning experiences, and 45% indicated that they wanted better access to career counseling. Additionally, boys were far less likely than girls to graduate high school with no plan at all, whereas the girls remained more likely to follow the traditional four-year college route. Because a vast number of schools lack career-connected learning opportunities, students tend to rely on shallow, interest-only tools that miss the mark and fail to uncover the deeper aptitudes that shape potential and purpose. And without that level of insight, students are left guessing instead of planning. Schools, businesses, and policy leaders can take some immediate steps to close the readiness gap and the career exposure gap. For instance, they could start early with aptitude and interest discovery because too many schools are using outdated, non-scientific tools to help guide students. They could ensure every student has access to personalized aptitude-based career assessment and counseling. They could expand real-world learning from industry certifications to work-based experiences, and they could equip families to have early informed conversations about career options. Middle school students need meaningful career exposure, real data about their strengths, and practical experiences that connect learning to life. Middle school students need more support around education paths and career options, and that support needs to include hands-on experiences, according to a nationwide survey from the nonprofit American Student Assistants. The survey results uncovered evolving trends in teenagers' attitudes, perceptions, and decision making about their post-high school plans. Middle school students need early access to opportunities that empower them to explore careers that match their interests and strengths, including skill-based experiences as well as information and resources to help them navigate their path to post-secondary education and career. All of this would help enable them to graduate informed, confident, and empowered about what they want to do with their futures. Key findings from this survey showed that interest in college is down while non-degree paths are on the rise. Parents are still one of the team's biggest influencers, yet they're skeptical about non-degree options. The results also show that there's a growing number of young people who don't have plans for further education or training. Teens not planning to continue education after high school indicated that they were thinking about beginning full-time work, entering a family business, starting their own business, or joining the military. Results further showed that middle schoolers are feeling better prepared to plan for their futures, that girls are more likely to plan to attend college than boys, especially when girls are in high school, and that students of color are more likely to be college-bound, where the percentages were 54% of African American teens and 51% of Hispanic teens. If students' strengths are paired with in-demand careers through personalized learning, schools are ensuring the success of students and tomorrow's workforce. Many states have begun investing in career-connected learning to connect learning to career paths as a means to boost employability as well as support local businesses and the local economy. Students are rarely guided toward career paths that match their natural abilities or natural talents and aptitudes. However, if schools begin to do this, they would likely see higher levels of employment and job satisfaction, as well as lower economic instability and gaps in the job market. This could have a noticeable impact on communities and the national economy at large. The career exposure gap continues to grow, particularly in IT, manufacturing, finance, and other areas. To address this, starting as early as junior high school, students should have the opportunity to take an aptitude assessment. Researchers have identified that students' natural aptitudes solidified by age 14, forming the foundation for understanding what they are inherently good at. Students often feel discouraged and unengaged in their coursework because it doesn't connect to their innate strengths, making it harder to feel confident in their abilities and motivated to tap into future potential pathways for employment. Students thrive when they feel a sense of belonging, both in the classroom and in the broader community. They also need to build self-esteem by experiencing achievement, recognition, and purpose. When education is connected with natural aptitudes and real-world career experiences, this can foster a sense of belonging and achievement. Educators need to encourage students to participate in internships, apprenticeships, or mentorship programs that can bridge the connection between their talents and real-world job opportunities. This will foster a sense of community and personal identity, which can be tied to their future careers and success. When middle school students are actively seeking knowledge and skills to help them achieve their dreams instead of just attending school to pass tests, they are often more motivated when they see the relevance of their learning, especially when they understand how it connects to their future aspirations. When students are offered opportunities for hands-on exploration and real-world application, they find greater fulfillment in the educational experiences as well as a stronger desire to achieve higher learning goals. It's been known for a while that roughly 40% of employers indicate that educational institutions don't sufficiently prepare students for their future careers, and 90% of those employers emphasized the need for stronger partnerships between K-12 schools and post-secondary institutions. Despite the clear benefits of linking education to career pathways, most schools still solely focus on academic success while neglecting the broader skills students need to thrive in the workforce. College and career readiness learning is frequently seen as a nice to have rather than a central piece of education. However, the growing career exposure gap is evidence of a disconnect. Closing this disconnect begins with helping students understand where to invest their skills. Personalized learning platforms, aptitude assessments, career identification, and skills-based learning tools provide the foundation for unlocking students' potential. It will take the convergence of educators, employers, policymakers, and technology providers to ultimately ensure that every student has the opportunity to realize their full potential. Education is not simply about filling students' heads with knowledge, most of which is useless, but it is about inspiring them to dream, to grow, and to discover their limitless opportunities. Exploring career paths with real-world experiences can help middle school students determine their next steps after high school. When it comes to figuring out what to do after high school, too many of today's young people are anxious, uninformed, and unprepared. Here are some trends that educators, counselors, and parents can use to help students explore careers that may be of interest to them. One, start early. This means that young people need to start exploring career opportunities and possibilities based on their strengths and interests, starting in middle school. Rather than steering them in one direction that educators and potentially parents think they need to go, more adults need to provide the wisdom that's necessary to help their children connect their passions with viable jobs that make sense for them. Number two, EdTech is on the rise. More investment is being made in the educational technology, which provides equity and access to all students regardless of their school or circumstances. These high-quality digital resources can be accessed at any time for free on their phones or other mobile devices. This means that middle school students will have access to personalized ed tech tools to get information and experiences they need to prepare for future success. These activities include things like mock job interviews, AI-powered career coaching, career mentorships, and even virtual internships. 3. High school internships will become more prevalent. There is no substitute for real-world learning starting in the early years of high school. Students will get an opportunity to test and try careers, gain hands-on experience, build social capital, receive guidance from caring adults, and develop the skills they'll need for the workforce of tomorrow. Research shows that employers benefit from offering high school internships and want to offer them even when many students think they won't be able to get one. And number four, durable skills are here to stay. Even though technology has become embedded in today's workplace, soft skills are still needed and are critical to succeed. And young people need to practice using these soft skills. Employers value these quote unquote durable skills, which are a set of professional capabilities like teamwork, problem solving, critical thinking, and flexibility, and these are essential in almost every job. In one study, the results showed that 70% of the most requested skills in nearly 82 million job postings are durable skills. These are the skills employers are looking for on resumes. As the job market continues to evolve, these trends may help more young people find post-secondary education and career pathways that's right for them. Students who learn about a job or career that they previously didn't know about and who have a mentor who supports their development are more likely to be engaged at school compared to their peers. Many middle school and high school students indicate that they would like more career-related learning opportunities, especially when those opportunities align with their specific interests in jobs and careers. About 48% of high school students and roughly 25% of middle school students report that their school's career-connected learning includes the careers that they are interested in. Career-connected learning opportunities can include elective classes, units taught in the core classes, career fairs, job shadowing opportunities, internships, and volunteering. About a third of the students indicate that their career connected learning experiences have helped them formulate plans for life after high school. Additionally, at least half of middle school and high school students who have held an internship or externship, completed a registered apprenticeship, participated in job shadowing, or taken a volunteer opportunity or job or career-related position, say that such activities helped inform their post-high school trajectory. It turns out that student engagement also increases with career-related learning opportunities. Roughly 15% of students who did not participate in any career-connected activity are engaged in learning, compared to 26% of those who did participate in a career-related learning opportunity. When middle school students reach high school, work-based learning partnerships are not just an add-on to the high school experience, they're a transformative element. This element may help reluctant employers hire young adults based on the employer's mindset that young adults lack a strong work ethic and practical job skills. Yet when high school students engage in real-world work experiences, they emerge with higher self-esteem, a greater sense of responsibility, and newfound independence, all of which set the foundation for professional and personal success. 70% of parents report a positive difference in their child's self-esteem and confidence once they enter the workforce. It's one thing for students to score well on tests, but it's another thing to see a project that they worked on come to fruition and have a real impact. This kind of validation is irreplaceable and builds a robust sense of self-worth that classroom grades alone cannot provide. Real world experiences foster independence for high school students. They learn the value of the dollar and the satisfaction of earning their way. Imagine, if you will, a future for high school students who graduate with a diploma and a resume filled with meaningful work experiences. The students would then be better prepared for college and careers, equipped with self-esteem, responsibility, and independence from real-world achievements. They would enter the workforce not as novicists, but as seasoned individuals who understand the dynamics of professional environments. To make this happen, it will require collective effort from educators, parents, and the community. Schools must prioritize partnerships with local businesses, create flexible schedules that allow for work study opportunities, and provide guidance on balancing academics with work. Parents should encourage their children to seek work experiences and support them in these endeavors, and communities should rally around these high school students, offering opportunities and mentoring to ensure their success. The bottom line is that real life work experiences are not just beneficial as middle school students transition into high school, but they are also essential. Igniting students' curiosity about the connection between school and the real world can happen through career exploration. There are many benefits to exposing K-12 students to potential career paths. It can help them set goals, motivate them to learn, help them explore who they are, and help them discover what they like to do. It also piques their curiosity about their future and drives them to engage in lessons to learn more, either about potential fields that may be interest to them, or the knowledge and skills they will need to be successful in a career. To help satisfy this curiosity, educators can reach out to professionals in various fields to come to speak to the students in class about how and why they chose their career path. Many times, students will engage with the guest in an effort to learn more about where they might be able to apply their school learning lessons to a future career. Connecting students and teachers with professionals who are willing to share about their education, career path, advice, and the reality of working in the real world is a great way to add value to classroom instruction and to make the connection between classroom lessons and career opportunities in a practical and memorable experience. So, what can you do with the information that I just shared? Here are the action steps you can take regarding preparing middle schoolers for life after high school through career-connected learning. I didn't talk to my children about a specific career path, but I did expose them to different types of careers through talking with me, my friends and relatives, as well as through organizations and community that allowed them to explore various career options. Now, this by no means indicates that I didn't talk to them about their options once they graduated from high school. And those options were one, to go to college, two, to learn a trade, three, to get a job, or four, go to the military. Because I had no interest or intention of an adult child wandering aimlessly through life and laying up in my house with no direction or purpose. Yeah, that wasn't going to happen. So when my daughter graduated from high school, she went straight to the university. And when my son finished high school, he went to the military. Most teenagers act as though they're not listening to your advice, but they are. You still remain their biggest influencer. The bottom line is this talk to your children early and often about career options that seem suitable for their talent, interests, and aptitude. Explore the types of resources that your child's middle school has that allows them to have meaningful career exposure, assess their strengths, interests, and weaknesses, and allows them to practically apply what they're learning to career and life experiences. Determine whether your child's school performs aptitude assessments, and if they don't, inquire with the school counselor or principal as to why not. In the meantime, seek out resources that are available to help your child understand his or her strengths. And there are a number of free assessment tools online, including aptitude hyphen test.com, CareerHyphen Aptitude.com, and Practiceaptitude Tests dot com. Here are this episode's takeaways. Research points to a growing disconnect between students' education and their preparedness for real world success. Students seem to be navigating a rapidly changing world with outdated tools and minimal guidance. This uncovers an uncomfortable and deepening crisis that urgent action is needed to redesign how schools prepare young people for life after high school. Middle school students need early access to opportunities that empower them to explore careers that match their interests and strengths, including skills-based experiences as well as information and resources to help them navigate their path to post-secondary education and careers. All of this will help enable them to graduate informed, confident, and empowered about what they want to do with their futures. When students' strengths are paired with in-demand careers through personalized learning, schools are ensuring the success of students and tomorrow's workforce. Career-connected learning opportunities can include things like elective classes, units taught in the core classes, career fairs, job shadowing opportunities, internships, and volunteering. About one-third of students indicate their career connected learning experiences have helped them formulate plans for life after high school. Real life work experiences are not just beneficial as middle school students transition into high school, but they are also essential. What are your thoughts about your middle schooler and their preparation and readiness for life after high school? Let me know what you're thinking by leaving me a text comment on my podcast website, k12educationinsights.bloodsprout.com. Here's how you can leave a text comment. Go to the episode description page and click on the Send Me a Text Message link. Again, it's K12Education Insights.bloodsprout.com. If you enjoyed this episode, why not listen to another episode from my panel? It can take as little as 15 minutes of your day. And remember, new episodes come out every Tuesday. Thanks for listening today. Be sure to come back for more insights on K12 educational topics that impact you and your children. Until next time, learn something new every day.