Students need plan for after high school
Studies show that nearly two of every three jobs in 2020 will require some education after high school. But only half of those jobs will require a four-year degree. For many young people, their ticket to success will be a credential proving that they have a skill or a twoyear degree.
While getting a fouryear or even a graduate degree is the right decision for many young people, that path isn’t the only option to a well-paying job and career. Opportunities abound — from apprentice and on-the-job training programs to credential programs to associate degree programs. By choosing the right program and applying for financial aid, students don’t have to go deep into debt to get the education they need to excel on the job.
Local companies are desperate to find welltrained employees to fill their jobs. Go to OhioMeansJobs.com, and you’ll find nearly 16,000 job postings within 20 miles of Dayton — nearly 28,000 within 40 miles. But virtually all of those jobs require more than a high-school diploma. That’s definitely true for the best-paying and most secure positions.
The days when young people could support a family and have a middle-class lifestyle with only a high school diploma are gone. They aren’t coming back either because the world of work just keeps getting more demanding.
We have to help young people understand that they’re not done when they graduate from high school. And, by high school, they need to start planning what they’ll want to do to earn their way in life. Even children in elementary and middle school can start learning about careers and how to develop their interests and passions that will help them get a job they love.
Schools in Montgomery County are committed to making sure every student has a plan for the next steps after high school. The Montgomery County Educational Service Center and Learn to Earn Dayton are helping connect students to local employers, while also ensuring that teachers and counselors know about the exploding number of new careers that await young people.
Last school year, a series of day-long tours brought educators together to learn about local in-demand industries and the career opportunities available here in the region. Educators learned about jobs that require college degrees, as well as those that involve on-the-job training. The goal was to show that there is a career for every young person.
Then, last summer, 26 educators from 14 different schools participated in a two-day professional development conference where they met with employers, visited a local company, learned about apprenticeship programs for skilled trades, and worked together to make plans to create better career connections for their students.
Our schools and teachers are committed to making sure every student has an education plan for after high school. They know a one-size-fits-all plan of going to a fouryear college doesn’t work for everybody. With so many job openings here in the Dayton region, our students have incredible career opportunities. It’s our job to help them discover them.