Going to college then following it up with a university degree is perhaps the most common way of pursuing a career. However, there are times when your child just doesn’t want to go to college, or perhaps they dislike the lessons they are receiving and want to have something more hands-on. For instance, perhaps they love art and drawing but the school they attend has horrible teachers that don’t give your child the respect and knowledge they deserve.
If your child wants to avoid college, then it’s not the end of the world and there are alternate career paths that could either convince your child to return to study, or to simply take an alternate path in life for them to reach their desired career target.
Going the freelance route
Freelancing doesn’t have a specific age. A freelancer could be as young as 14 or as old as 80. As long as you have the skills to fill your client’s needs, you can make a living and forge a career path. Of course, if they’re fairly young then you may need to supervise them and handle their finances, but it’s a career path that children take if they want to avoid college or take a more direct approach to reaching their goals. Just don’t tunnel your child town a specific path and don’t force them to do something they don’t want to. Freelancers typically don’t need qualifications to get started. Instead, what they need is a shining portfolio with plenty of examples, and this can easily be done through lots of practice. The first few clients that your child works for might request lower prices due to their inexperience, but this is fine because it all leads to a better portfolio.
Learning on the internet
Internet learning has exploded in popularity due to how accessible and cheap internet connections now are. Many teachers all over the world have turned to internet teaching because it’s far more convenient for them to work in the comfort of their own home, and the same applies to students. Most colleges offer a limited selection of courses, and if your child has a specific interest that can’t be met at your local schools, then the only option is to either move home or use an internet service like Find Your Context to look for their desired online course. Studying online is much cheaper than studying at a physical location, it’s more convenient and your child can study in their own time. It’s also a great avenue to advance your career as there are plenty of options to choose from when studying online, you can take up an Online Masters in Learning and Teaching and be able to tailor your learning experience the way you want it to.
Starting a business (or following in your footsteps)
If you have a family business, then perhaps it’s time to introduce your child to it so they can take over the reins when they are old enough. If you don’t, then turning to entrepreneurship is never a bad idea. If your child is showing signs of a creative mind, an undying passion towards something and an analytical mind, then they might just have what it takes to become a success business owner in the future. Start off young, teach them what you know, and help them forge a path to greatness.