The Career Exploration Journey 

Career exploration is often defined as a journey of self-discovery that helps students hone in on their strengths and interests and identify career possibilities that are both financially rewarding and personally meaningful. That’s why at American Student Assistance® (ASA), we’re focused on helping middle and high schoolers learn about careers and prepare for their futures through equitable access to career readiness information and experiences.

Importance of Starting in Middle School

In middle school, students are not yet burdened with the pressure about future goals that high schoolers often face, providing greater personal capacity and opportunity for exploration. Moreover, career exploration helps students enjoy and find relevance in their education.

Through ASA’s work and research, we know that middle school is the most effective time for career exploration, as learners are interested in ways to match specific skills and interests with potential careers. Read Career Exploration in Middle School: Helping Students Dream Big, While Giving Them the Tools to Succeed and Efficacy and Innovation in Middle School Career Exploration.

Resources for Parents 

• Exploring Career Paths: A Guide for Middle Schoolers (and The People Who Care About Them): ASA and the Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE), the world’s largest professional association for middle grades educators, have created this free digital resource for middle schoolers to use independently or in the classroom with the guidance of educators, as well as outside of school in collaboration with a trusted adult such as a parent, mentor, or guardian.
• Crisis-Proofing Today’s Learners: Reimagining Career Education to Prepare Kids for Tomorrow’s World: In this book, Crisis-Proofing Today’s Learners, authored by K-12 Career Readiness Expert Jean Eddy, ASA ‘s President and CEO, shines a light on the fact that there’s an epidemic of young people leaving high school who are not prepared for what comes next. So, how do we address this challenge? In her book, Eddy talks about a Japanese concept referring to something that gives a person a sense of purpose and reason for living. When it comes to guiding our young people to choose careers that are right for them, Ikigai means helping them find the intersection between what they love, what they’re good at, what the world needs, and what they can be paid for. To help youth find their Ikigai, Eddy posits that one proven way is by giving all learners equitable access to career exploration beginning in middle school when they are impressionable, open minded, and have a thirst for learning. If students aren’t exposed to the world of potential career options, they won’t know what’s possible. 

Digital Resources for Kids

ASA’s award-winning free digital experiences have engaged and impacted more than 15 million teens to date. Starting in middle school, teens can explore careers through experiences like the Future Network, a series of original videos that spans five categories and follows Gen Z as they explore and learn about different careers from industry professionals; and Futurescape®, a mobile experience that enables career exploration aligned with teens’ interests and strengths. 

As teens continue their journey through high school, they can build career-ready skills and experiment with fields of interest using Next Voice™, a digital youth advocacy platform that empowers kids with the durable skills they need to effectively make change for the issues and causes that impact their futures; and EvolveMe®, a skill-building and career experimentation platform that incentivizes young people to take actions that advance their career interests. These free digital experiences help students find what they’re good at, what they can be paid for, what the world needs, and what they love.