Build awareness of interests and skills with two new online, easy-to-use, Holland Code career tools. Explore career interests or transferable skills. Create a list of potential careers. Generate a printable PDF report. Learn more at bit.ly/4nCdm4I
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Get strategies to help you make wise career decisions about careers, colleges/ universities, trades and apprenticeships.
Choosing the Right Career Path
What are your career goals?
Look at the different apprenticeships, technical training programs, and college/ university degree options:
Understand your goals!
Are you seeking a specific, in-demand trade, or are you looking for broader career path with more flexibility?
What is your focus?
The choice is yours!
When you are looking at an apprenticeship, technical training, or college/university program, you should conduct research. This is essential to find the right training programs or college/university majors.
What factors should you consider?
According Research.com, the cost of college is important to consider. The duration of the study and job prospects are also things to consider when making your decision.
What tools are available ?
Holland Codes, Career Planning Tool
Holland (RIASEC) Codes are keys to discover the right, apprenticeships, technical training programs, and college majors! Holland (RIASEC) Codes can match your interests to training programs or college/ university majors.
What are the differences between the different options? Understand the differences!
Colleges and universities help you hone your reasoning and logic and widen your knowledge about your field of study. Research.com.
Trade, technical school, vocational school, or vocational college schools
Consider the different factors!
Important factors to consider when making your decision about apprenticeships, technical training programs, and college/ university majors degrees are –
Use available resources!
The College Affordability and Transparency List from the U.S. Department of Education outline the different factors –
Accreditation is an important factor!
An essential Check the accreditation of the school that you are interested in. Go to https://www.bestcolleges.com/trades/are-trade-schools-accredited/
Looking at College/ University Majors
One of the university/ college major exploration web sites is Big Future. Find the right colleges or university for you. College or university search web site is here to help you make the best decision for you. To begin, choose one of two starting points. Use MatchMaker to generate a list of colleges that match your preferences. Use QuickFinder to research a college that you already have in mind.
Areas included involve –
Trade Schools
The programs in trade schools are designed to provide students with specific training. They focus on the hard skills needed for a particular job. The curricula involve streamlined courses and learning methodologies that allow students to gain hands-on experience in a specific trade. Students can enter the workforce faster. They can get the best jobs for trade school graduates.
Advance CTE (Association for Career and Technical Education) is the nation’s largest not-for-profit association. It was formerly the National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium (NASDCTEc). It is committed to advancing education that prepares youth and adults for successful careers.
According to Research.com, Advance CTE has defined 16 different vocational clusters and 79 trade school careers that students can take.
Apprenticeships
One of the Apprenticeship web site is ApprenticeshipUSA. ApprenticeshipUSA is a unifying brand that encompasses the entire National Registered Apprenticeship system and brings awareness to the proven and successful
ApprenticeshipUSA connects all stakeholders in the National Registered Apprenticeship system. This includes employers, industry associations, labor unions, and education and training providers. It also involves apprenticeship contractors and grantees, apprentices, and community-based organizations. Additionally, equity partners, Ambassadors, DOL Apprenticeship Staff, State Apprenticeship Agencies, Federal partners, and intermediaries are connected.
Registered Apprenticeship is a proven recruitment strategy. It’s also an effective method for training and retention across all industries. This strategy enables employers to develop, train, and retain their future workforce. It offers career seekers affordable paths to secure high-paying jobs. In fact, 93% of apprentices retain employment after completing an apprenticeship program. This retention contributes to a high return on investment for employers and industry leaders.
For more resources, visit our resource web page!
Have a blessed day,
Dr. Mary Askew
References:
· Trade School vs. College: What’s the Difference? By TBS Staff Writers, October 8, 2024 https://thebestschools.org/degrees/trade-schools-vs-college/
· Trade School vs College for 2025: Pros & Cons, and Job Opportunities, Imed Bouchrika, Phd, MAY 16, 2025, https://research.com/universities-colleges/trade-school-vs-college
· Advance CTE (n.d.). Career Clusters. Retrieved from https://careertech.org/career-clusters
· Carnevale, A.P. & Cheah, B. (2018). Five Rules of the College and Career Game. Georgetown University Center for Education and the Workforce. Retrieved from https://1gyhoq479ufd3yna29x7ubjn-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/Fiverules.pdf
· National Center for Education Statistics (2021, May). Undergraduate Enrollment. Retrieved from https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/cha
· Plumer, B. (2013, May). Only 27 percent of college grads have a job related to their major. The Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2013/05/20/only-27-percent-of-college-grads-have-a-job-related-to-their-major/
· Quiroga-Garza, M.E. Flores-MarÃn, D.L. Cantú-Hernandez, R.R. Rojas, I.E.E., & Cabrera, M.V.L. (2020). Effects of a vocational program on professional orientation. Heliyon 6(4). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e03860
· Thompson, D. (2020, October). College Grads Lack Job Readiness. TD Magazine. Retrieved from https://www.td.org/magazines/td-magazine/college-grads-lack-job-readiness
· Torpey, E. (2019, January). High-wage occupations by typical entry-level education. Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2019/article/high-wage-occupations.htm
· U.S. Department of Education (2020). College Affordability and Transparency List Retrieved from https://collegecost.ed.gov/affordability
· U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2020, May). Learn more, earn more: Education leads to higher wages, lower unemployment. Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2020/data-on-display/education-pays.htm
· But, Do I Need a College Degree?: Understanding Perceptions of College and Career Readiness among Students Enrolled in a Career and Technical High School Genia M Bettencourt 1,✉, Chrystal A George Mwangi 2, Keisha L Green 3, Daniel Morales Morales 3https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8614215/
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Purpose and Rationale for the My Rainbow Career Finder
1. What does the My Rainbow Career Finder measures?
The My Rainbow Career Finder allows children to build awareness of careers. The My Rainbow Career Finder is available in Arabic, Chinese (simplified), French, Portuguese (Brazil) and Spanish.
2. What are the concepts or theories underlying the development of the My Rainbow Career Finder?
Dr. John L. Holland (1985) created Holland Code Career Model, Holland Hexagon Model or Holland Codes. Holland Codes assessments give career information, college major information, lists of careers, and job finder resources. There are print and internet resources.
The Holland Code Career Model matches jobs into job codes, interest clusters, work personality environments, or personality types. The Occupational Codes are -
Description of the My Rainbow Career Finder
What is the structure of the instrument?
The My Rainbow Career Finder Program is virtual and visual. It uses learning techniques and a career awareness program for kids. Colors are used to represent Holland Codes.
The My Rainbow Career Finder clarifies thoughts, integrates new knowledge, and promotes critical thinking. New concepts are more thoroughly and easily understood.
The My Rainbow Career Finder organizes and analyzes information.
Children, youth, and adults –
Components
1. What reusable components will you need for administering the My Rainbow Career Finder? What will you need for scoring it? What do you need to interpreting it?
The My Rainbow Career Finder is virtual, visual self-scoring career awareness tool for children that use discover Holland Codes.
2. Are there different versions of the My Rainbow Career Finder ?
Yes, there are two versions of the My Rainbow Career Finder – Basic and Deluxe.
Both versions come with the following items –
The Deluxe Edition comes with the additional items –
Learn more ...
