Basic Guide in Choosing the Right Career for Graduating High School Students

By Gilbert M. Forbes
DepEd QUEZON 

You could be one who have just graduated from high school or will be graduating and is now thinking of what course to take. You are puzzled if you will take vocational and technical course or take up college degrees just like the majority of your peers. I’m sure, most of you want to be nurses, engineers, accountants, lawyers, police men, soldiers, mariners, customs, programmers, care givers, airline pilot or flight stewardess, hotel and restaurant personnel, tourist guides, chefs, and other professional courses..

Too few would have considered to be a teacher and none would have chosen it from among the honors or academically advance graduates. But many will be taking education later not because they want it but because of outside influence or adult family pressure—due to they say, its employability. Bright graduates too have not preferred Science and Technology courses like Biotechnology, Geology, Astronomy, Meteorology, Physics and Chemistry among others.

If this is the case with the teaching profession, much more in the field of agriculture or farming and fishery. Farming is considered a dying profession now a days due to wrong notion attributed to it from among the adults and parents themselves which were passed on, generations to generations beginning the establishment of the formal school system in the country.

The same holds true with practical but relevant and in-demand technical vocational courses like welding and air-conditioning, electronics, mechanic, dress-making, food processing, plumbing, crane and heavy equipment operators, electrician, cosmetology, hair science, etc. Many consider it mean jobs though these are in-demand high paying jobs here and abroad. Welders, heavy equipment and crane operators, and beauticians at present receive much higher pay than the rest of the above white collar careers.

Deciding on the right career path is very important among the yearly high school graduates both decided and undecided on the career they prefer and is thinking of taking. Their alma mater through the guidance counselor or in the absence of a guidance counselor, school administrators should lead career guidance for both parents and students.

Graduates and even those who belong to the lower year levels must now think what is the best possible career fit to them through the following tips:

1. Consider your competence, skills, abilities and fashion. The result of your NCAE (National Career Assessment Examination) will guide you what career suits you. It does mean that what you wanted may simply be unfit on what you can do and is passionate of doing. Much more what you think is the in-thing at present is absolutely not what the industry and the employers need and wanted two to five years from now.
2. Try to look at the classified ads. It will give you the idea of what employers are looking for at present. You may also visit job sites to know the trend including the Department of Labor and Employment web site.
3. Sit goals or review it. If your main goal is landing a sure job after graduation then why choose a course, discipline or career that will give you head aches, pressure and stress upon graduation.
4. Don’t ride on the craze or get along with your peers preference. Be reminded that many of the courses are tailored fit not to the students who will be enrolling in this institution but more on the income it will generate for the school being a private business enterprise. Of course, public or government institutions are not included for it is subsidized by the peoples and taxpayers money.
5. Family resources. Could your family afford the career you wanted? If not, consider other alternatives like taking up ladderized programs or other courses that will serve as your stepping stone. Or you could apply for scholarship programs and get employed as student assistants while studying.

According to the Department of Labor and Employment , the following areas are the most in-demand and hard to fill jobs in the country.

     I. Agribusiness
          a. Animal Husbandry
          b. Agricultural Economist
          c. Aqua-culturist
          d. Coconut Farmer
           e. Entomologist (Plant)
          f. Farmer (Fruit, Vegetable and Root Crops)
          g. Fisherman
          h. Horticulturist
          i. Plant Mechanic
          j. Rice Tresher Operator-Mechanic
          k. Veterinarian

     Il. Pathologist

     II. Cyberservices
          a. Call Center Agent

     III. Health, Wellness and Medical Tourism
          a. Herbologist
          b. Optician
          c. Optometrist

     IV. Hotel and Restaurant
          a. Front Office Agent/Attendant
          b. Baker
          c. Food Server and Handler
          d. Food and Beverage Service Attendant
          e. Waiter
          f. Bartender
          g. Room Attendant
          h. Other Housekeeping Services
          i. Reservations Officer and other Frontline Occupation
          j. Tour Guides

     V. Mining
          a. Mining Engineer
          b. Geodetic Engineer
          c. Metallurgical Engineer
          d. Mining and Metallurgical Technician

      VI. Construction
          a. Fabricator
          b. Pipe Fitter
          c. Welder
          d. heavy equipment operators

     VII. Banking and Finance
          a. Operations Manager
          b. Teller

     VIII. Manufacturing
          a. Electrical Technicians
          b. Finance and Accounting Managers
          c. Food Technologist
          d. Machine Operators
          e. Sewer

     IX. Ownership Dwellings, Real/ Retirement Estate
          a. Building Manager
          b. Construction Manager
          c. Construction Worker
          d. Foreman
          e. Mason
          f. Welder
          g. Real Estate Agents/Brokers
          h. Marketer

     X. Transport and Logistics
          a. Checker
          b. Maintenance Mechanics
          c. Stewardess

      XI. Wholesale and Retail
          a. Merchandiser/Buyer
          b. Salesman/Saleslady
          c. Promodizer

      XII. Overseas Employment
           a. Domestic Helpers and Related Workers
           b. Production and Related Workers
           c. Nurses (theatre, anaesthetic, critical care/ICU, pediatric, scrub, and
               cardiac)
           d. Caregivers
           e. Plumbers, Pipe-fitters, and Related Workers
           f. Cooks and Related Workers
           g. Wiremen, Electrical, and Related Workers
           h. Welders, Flame-Cutters, and Related Workers
           i. Laborers, General Workers, and Related Workers
           j. Charworkers, Cleaners, and Related Workers

      Emerging Industries

      I. Creative Industries
          a. Broadcast Engineer
          b. Video Editor
          c. Video Graphic Artist (Animators)
          d. Visual Artist Designer
     II. Diversified/Strategic Farming and
       Fishing
          a. Fisherman
          b. Aqua-culturist
          c. Horticulturist
          d. Farmer (root crops, fruit & vegetable: upland and lowland)

     III. Power and Utilities
          a. Electrical Control Operator
          b. Equipment Operator
          c. Electrical Technician
          d. Mechanic

     IV. Renewable Energy
          a. Checker
          b. Loader

Correct decisions among our youth will not only help them once they look for a job but the current qualifications mismatch as well that exists in the labor force.

(Mr. Gilbert M. Forbes had his Bachelors Degree and MA in Educational Management (CAR) from the Philippine Normal University.  A campus paper adviser and trainer for 13 years.  Currently, he is a school principal in one of the central schools in the Division of Quezon.)