Getting Skills, Experience, Education

Why Life Long Learning Matters…

The more you learn, the more you earn and the more likely you are to remain employed for the long run.

Education pays!  Why?  Because employers believe educated employees learn tasks more easily, take more initiative and are better organized.

Revamping your skill set pays!  Why?  There are two main reasons:

1.  Employers are losing experienced, highly-skilled workers due to older workers retiring in large numbers.  Why should this matter to you?  As these jobs become vacant, employers need employees that are highly skilled.  Keep in mind these jobs typically pay high wages.

2.  Some employers move some jobs outside of the U.S. to save money and speed up production time.  Although jobs requiring a variety of skills are moved or “outsourced,” a large number of them are entry-level.  Why should you care about this?  The number of available entry-level jobs is shrinking, but the number of jobs requiring advanced technology skills and strong interpersonal or “people” skills is increasing rapidly.

Employers need you!  But, they need you to have the “high tech, high touch” skills necessary to do the job.

IT’S IN YOUR HANDS.  Don’t expect your future employer(s) to plan for or initiate your personal and professional development.  It will be up to you to keep up with the skills and knowledge requirements of your career.  An employer may or may not offer skill training or support for further education for employees to keep up with these changes, so it is important to plan for your future success.

Practice Your Skills.
There are several ways to put your skills to work …

Volunteering has its advantages!  Not only are you providing a service in your community, you can practice skills, ‘test drive’ a career interest and list your experience on an application or resume to show potential employers and colleges that you can handle responsibility.  To find out which local businesses offer volunteer opportunities, visit a Career Center, call us toll free or fill in the EASY CONNECT form and get started today.

Take a Career and Technical Education (CTE) class or program of study.  Brevard Public Schools’ Career & Technical Programs will get you going in the right direction.  Name an occupation. Whatever field you choose chances are there’s a class – or even an entire course of study – that will give you relevant experience with the latest technology.  You will gain knowledge, experience and confidence as you explore careers from the inside out.  Explore Brevard Public Schools CTE classes and programs.

Take technical courses at the college level. Qualified high school students may take technical courses at the college level and earn dual credit.  Dual enrollment allows students to take courses such as electronic engineering technology, crime scene technology, drafting, graphic design, web design, computer information technology and office systems technology.  These technical courses will offer students an opportunity to learn a new skill and identify future career paths.  Check with your high school counselor to see if you qualify to take dual enrolled courses.  To learn more about Brevard Community College technical programs go to www.brevardcc.edu

Talk to a teacher or guidance counselor to find out if your school offers a co-op program. This is a program that gives you the opportunity to attend school a portion of the day and work in a job for another part of the day.

An internship or externship can offer you the opportunity to apply the skills and knowledge you have learned in school to the ‘real world’. These experiences are generally short-term and require a certain number of completion hours to meet requirements for graduating from a program of study and/or attaining an industry recognized certificate or license.  Thus, internships are coordinated through high schools and/or colleges that students attend during their senior year.  Internship schedules are usually somewhat flexible based on a student’s academic schedule and can be either paid or unpaid.  Often these opportunities are not paid; however, it is important not to overlook their value in opportunity and experience.

Think of an internship or externship as a trial job.  An intern or extern works in a professional setting with professionals and reports to the employer or employer’s designated staff.  An intern is treated like an employee and expected to follow a job description, as well as meet performance and attendance requirements.  To find out which local employers offer internship or externship opportunities, contact us.

AmeriCorps
AmeriCorps is a national network of programs that engages more than 70,000 Americans each year in intensive service to meet critical needs in communities throughout the nation.  AmeriCorps offers several ways to get involved, from part-time local service programs to full-time residential programs.  Members receive guidance and training so they can make a contribution that suits their talents, interests and availability.

Figuring it all out.
College? Career? Military? How do I make choices that are right for me?

Career?  Get the stats on everything from job growth to job requirements for thousands of rewarding and exciting careers.

College?  Use these tools and stats to figure out which 2- or 4-year college or trade school you’d like to attend and what it takes to get there.

Military?  Get the facts about the benefits and requirements of service – with careers and programs spanning the five military branches.

Figure out what’s next for you. Contact us.  See us in Titusville, Rockledge or Palm Bay at a Career Center.