Preparing young learners for post-secondary careers and education will demand highly dedicated collaborations among businesses, colleges, and universities. The opportunity to guide students into thinking about career choices at an early age provides a great advantage.
High school students on the verge of graduation are not suddenly cast into a situation in which they need to make a post-secondary career choice. Instead, over the course of their schooling, students will have enough time to make decisions regarding their professional career.
Educators could support students in preparing more effectively for the real world. One solution is quite common in upper educational, preparatory circles:
Early Apprenticeship Programs
Early Apprenticeship programs should be widely considered when preparing elementary students for post-secondary careers and education. Such initiatives would be the solution to transitioning students from learners to highly skilled professional.
Young learners would be impacted in a variety of ways.
Prior Knowledge
One key advantage of apprenticeship is that an elementary student would gain prior knowledge in the field that he or she has chosen as a career. When the student enters the field he or she will not be lacking in confidence.
Increased Skills
Another advantage of creating an apprenticeship system for elementary students is that they will be able to gain increased skills after entering their career. The fundamentals of the job will have already been acquired via initial training.
Hands-on Application
6-12 graders will be able to gain hands on experience when working along side highly skilled career professionals. The opportunity to make mistakes and learn from them will strengthen performance and execution in a business or organization. Inner assurance and familiarity will be the rewards of participating in creative apprenticeship programs.
Accelerated Mastery
Another benefit of apprenticeship programs is that student will have the opportunity to quickly master that the tasks and responsibilities required for effectiveness in the profession. Prior familiarity with the profession will inspire the motivation for mastering every aspect of the job.
Passion and Anticipation
As young learners work alongside professionals, they will have an opportunity to develop passion and anticipation for the profession. Such opportunity would also challenge a student’s career aspirations to determine if the career choice is really what he or she wants to do.
Relationships
One of the greatest advantages of early apprenticeship programs is the opportunity for students to develop professional relationships. The privilege of having connections before post-secondary graduation is a game changer. The challenge of finding employment is reduced to an iota.
The 6-12 apprenticeship program will provide greater opportunities for successful post-secondary careers for students. The early focus on career choices will also motivate students to take education more seriously.
When students realize that what they do in school will greatly impact their ability to enter and successfully perform in a profession, they will recognize their expected value to society and the world.