When parents hear “career counselling”, they often imagine a student taking an assessment and receiving a list of careers.
But career development can be much broader than that.
Career discovery is about understanding yourself.
Students need opportunities to explore:
- Their interests
- Strengths
- Personality
- Aptitudes
- Values
- Skills
- Learning preferences
- Aspirations
An assessment can provide useful insights, but it is only one part of the journey.
Then comes exploration.
Once students understand themselves better, they can begin exploring:
- Different careers
- Subjects
- Industries
- University courses
- Professionals
- Real-world work environments
This helps students move from:
“What should I become?”
to:
“What possibilities exist for someone like me?”
“What should I become?”
to:
“What possibilities exist for someone like me?”
And then comes action.
Students can begin developing relevant skills through:
- Projects
- Competitions
- Workshops
- Internships
- Observerships
- Volunteering
- Mentorships
- Industry interactions
This is why career guidance should not necessarily be a one-time conversation.
It can be a continuous process of discovery, exploration and development.
That is the approach behind the YOUniverse School Program.