Find Your Fulfilling Future



University, College, Technical School, Trade Apprenticeship, a year off…there are so many options after high school – how can you choose? 

Start with a list of your goals and your achievements.  Include academic strengths and weaknesses. If you have a problem completing assignments on time, write it down.  List your personal strengths and weaknesses too, such as punctual, friendly, shy, active, grumpy, self-centred, outgoing, self-conscious, responsible and more.  Be honest.

What are your extracurricular activities?  Have you received any awards? What is your grade average? Are you above the class averages or right on them?

Now for your hopes.  Do you want to go away to school?  Stay close to home? Use online courses?  Do you find yourself more drawn to helping people in your community than attending more school? 

With all of this information, you can use the Internet, guidebooks and your guidance counsellors to help make a list of possible roads to take.  If you completed a Careers course, that may have pointed out some possible careers for which you are already suited.  Explore all ideas.
This is time consuming, and not something you can do in one weekend. So start early and take your time so that what you find out can be thought over for a while before you leap on it.
Once you decide what avenue to take, this is when you can start to get more specific in your planning. If post-secondary schools are involved, and they are not too far away, try to visit the campuses.  A nice road trip with the family is a great way for them to be involved in what’s happening in your life too.

If you are looking to begin training for a trade, then find out how many years are involved in the Apprenticeship, and try to make a list of possible Masters you can sign on with. 
At this stage, do not let financial worries interfere with your ideas.  Individual schools, many companies and both provincial and federal governments offer scholarships, bursaries, grants and loans to assist students and those in training.  When you have your plans made, the next step would be to explore the assistance available.

Travelling? Plan your itinerary and enjoy every moment.

Already working part-time and think you’d like to wait a while before moving on to other things?  Find out if your employer could take you on full-time.

There are great opportunities and possibilities that fit everyone. Sometimes you know right away that you have found your perfect future, other times it take longer.  A little planning can go a long way to creating a rewarding life.