Advantages of Career Guidance

A shifting and expanding job market means that it is more difficult to navigate today than it was a decade ago. Students in high school need to start thinking about possible career pathways now and a career guide for women in Canada is quickly becoming a necessity.

Importance of career guidance

Research shows that female students often overlook careers where women are under-represented for several reasons including lack of confidence, misinformation and bias towards certain careers, and lack of role models. Such gaps contribute to insufficient information when planning for their future.

The benefits of career guidance includes: 

• Empowering students and parents with knowledge
• Exploring different careers options
• Gaining expert advice on careers 
• Setting career pathway goals 
• Saving on costs

Many students cite their parents as their biggest influence when it comes to career guidance but parents might not have all of the information or know where to start. Build a Dream’s #HerPower Career Discovery Guide provides guidance on starting these conversations and finding different career options that may have been overlooked. Both parents and students are empowered to make informed choices concerning the student’s career and future when they have the right resources! 

How do resources and career information benefit families? Young women often want jobs that ‘help’ and may gravitate towards careers such as nursing and teaching. Enriching their career exposure can be a great way to help students make connections with how other careers — like skilled trades — also make a difference. These discussions can lead to sparking an interest in trying something new.

A great way to explore one of these new career paths is through co-operative education. Co-op allows students to network, build credible work experience, and learn how they can equally make a difference in a number of fields. The hands-on experience will also help to dispel wrongful myths about careers within these fields. Students can also meet and engage with prospective mentors who will inspire and guide them through their careers with comprehensive insight.

Many students might not know how to figure out their next steps, or only go after jobs they see women doing. This contributes to existing gender gaps. Meeting with a career expert is a great way to counter this. Make an appointment with someone who can guide you with up-to-date career counselling:

• School guidance counsellor
• Private career counsellor
• College or university recruiters
• Other recruiters (i.e. trades union or Canadian Armed Forces)
• Mentors

These experts can help discuss students’ interests, needs, and options. Students will get a greater understanding of their strengths and weaknesses and ways they can leverage their academic assets. Through these mediums, students can gain personalized advice on what jobs and opportunities are available. 

Career planning is a key part of career guidance too. Students should take an in-depth look at their interests and passions and work out a step-by-step plan (including timelines) to reach their dream. Families can work together to identify how to build skills at each stage which can give students an edge when it comes to applying for post-secondary programs or looking for a job.

Last but certainly not least is the cost of the right pathway. Career exploration and guidance that starts in high school saves students the cost of switching career trajectories in the future. Imagine a student graduating from a post-secondary program and landing a job that they are unsatisfied with. What will be the cost of a second career? Or third?

Prioritizing career counselling for high school students

By mapping out milestones, setting clear goals based on interests, and taking advantage of experiential learning, students can arm themselves with the needed knowledge to succeed without the added cost of dissatisfaction and monetary losses.

Career guidance is an important part of helping young women navigate prospective job opportunities. Build A Dream believes that by offering young girls the tools they need to succeed they will do so in large numbers. Access the free #HerPower Career Discovery Guide today for career advice, conversation starters, worksheets, and useful resources to plan for the future.