Tag Archives: careers

career colleges, careers, parenting

Supporting Your Teen’s Career Aspirations

career

Research shows that parents have a strong influence over their child’s college or career path. That influence may be subtle, and beyond the conscious awareness of the child, or often not so subtle. Parents have been known to push a child into a career path for numerous reasons, most have nothing to do with the child’s interests.

Parents are the number one influence in the career and college major choices made by their children.  

Growing up, my parents had some friends who insisted their children and even their son-in-laws follow the father’s career path as a doctor. They all attended college and medical school following in his footsteps. They all became doctors, but not all were happy in their careers. Most were miserable and floundered around until finally giving up and leaving the medical profession. Not only did they waste years on their education and a medical degree, but they have never recovered from what they perceived to be a failure.

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careers, parenting

Helping Your Teen find their future career

career

You might think teenagers have it easy, after all, they have no real responsibilities – what could they possibly worry about?! However, teenagers actually feel a lot of pressure. They are expected to figure out what they want to do for the next X amount of years in their education, as well as have a good idea of what they would like to do in their professional lives once education is over. It’s a lot to think about for a brain that isn’t fully developed yet (and for a person that likely doesn’t 100% know themselves, and is not free from the pressures/expectations of friends/family) to handle. 

It can be really difficult for them to figure out what it is they want to do, but as their parent, you can help them. Remember that no matter if they want to become a Massage Therapist, chef or a writer, it is your job to support and guide them wherever you can. Below, we’ll go through some of the things you can do to help them figure it all out.

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careers, college planning, Uncategorized

CareerS: What IS a Utility Engineer?

utility engineer

Making the most of a college degree requires a knowledge of the career path your student will be pursuing. This post is one of many I have provided to help parents and students make an informed college major choice.

Utility engineers are highly specialized professionals who usually work with public utilities that provide gas, water, power or sewer services to communities. Most utility engineers have a background in mechanical or civil engineering.

Utility engineering consultants work on how to improve the delivery of utility services to homes and businesses. They often are employed in public works activities that offer new utility services to communities. Utility engineers also work to improve current services with new technology and best practices.

Common utility engineer tasks include:

  • Devise plans, designs, and operations for utility systems, including gas, water, and sewage systems.
  • Identify and resolve any failures of utility systems and oversee preventative maintenance.
  • Direct utility project groups and offer guidance on how to install or improve utility systems
  • Gather data on utility processes, monitor utility system effectiveness and material usage.
  • Manage construction projects involving utilities, devise utility project scope, specifications, and budgets.

During times when there are utility outages, utility engineers are engaged in directing and managing work crews to restore services as quickly as possible.

Utility engineers also are involved in boosting service quality by reducing service interruptions. This is done by enhancing infrastructure and working to reduce any existing problems. For these types of projects, the utility engineer works in planning and execution.

Example of a Utility Engineer Project

For example, a utility engineer may determine that a plot of land with dozens of old trees is a high risk to power lines. He or she will design a project to run electric cabling underground or to reinforce current aerial lines and electric poles. He or she would collaborate with work crews to ensure these utility projects are properly carried out and thoroughly inspected for effectiveness and safety.

As a utility engineer, you may work on many different types of projects for different entities. Some may work for a city that is designing a new energy distribution grid. These utility engineers may act as consultants to provide guidance on the power requirements of a growing urban area. Others might work at smaller utilities that keep power going in all buildings, and also work in installing backup electrical generators for any power outages.

Some utility engineers also work at manufacturing plants and job sites outdoors overseeing the construction of electrical turbines and other types of equipment that produce power.

Utility engineers work on infrastructure projects that are vital to the continuing growth and viability of our society, and therefore are engaged in work of great importance.

academics, career colleges, careers, parenting

Supporting Your Teen’s Dreams

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dreams

We all have dreams in life, and these often start when we are young. 

When you were at high school, you may have had visions for your future, of the places you wanted to get to, and of the person you wanted to be. Hopefully, your dreams were realized.

So, let’s think about your teen. What are their dreams? What do they want in the future? And what colleges are they considering to achieve their future ideals?

As the parent, you need to be in a supportive role – the person who encourages their dreams, and not the person who crushes them.

In your role, these are some of the things you need to focus on.

Don’t be dismissive of your teen’s choices

Remember that your teen’s dreams may not necessarily equate with your dreams for them. Too many kids end up in colleges and careers they didn’t want, and that is because their parents have pushed them in directions they didn’t want to go. So, don’t be that parent who forces them down a path they are resistant to. If you catch your teen looking at the preflight checklist for pilots on the pages of an aeronautical university website, or if you hear them talking to their friends about colleges for the performing arts, be supportive. Don’t tell your teen that such career choices are pipe dreams, unrealistic, and not for them. Show them you support their choices, and if the colleges they look at really aren’t beyond the realms of reality for them, encourage them to take the right courses at high school that will meet the requirements of the colleges in question.

Encourage them in their education

As we suggested above, help your teen make the right choices when it comes to high school courses, especially if getting grades in these courses will qualify them for admission into the colleges they like. And when they are taking these courses, encourage your teen to work hard. If they need to study for tests, and if they need to write essays, remind your teen of their college goals every time they slacken off. Help your teen with their courses when they are struggling too. Be there when they need your help to study for tests and exams. Be there when they need your advice on a paper they have written. And be there whenever an obstacle arises that could potentially cause them to fail their course. The more help you can give them at high school, the greater the chances of them getting the grades they need for college.

Make their dreams become a reality

You can do this in all kinds of ways, from helping them find the right colleges for them, to helping them fill out their college applications. Take a look at the advice we gave on our site about what you can do to coach your college-bound teen too, as there is much you can do to prepare them for the next stage of their academic life. You can teach them some of the skills they will need at college, for example, and you can help them prepare for the pre-college tests they might need to take during the application process. The more you can do to support your teen, the better, so while you shouldn’t be overbearing within your responsibilities, you should still steer, gently cajole, and encourage your teen to ensure their dreams can come true.

careers, college majors

Is Your Student Interested in Nursing?

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nursing

If your student is in the stages of deciding which degree to take at college, you’ll likely know that this can be a testing time. Some teens seem to know exactly what kind of career that they want even at this age, others are still unsure- and that’s okay too. This is a big decision that will affect your child’s future enormously, so if they are questioning their choices or feeling unsure, then this is just a completely healthy part of the process. 

 You’ll naturally be looking to support and help them as much as you can and so being clued up on some excellent degree options will help you to provide better advice.

 For instance, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing is a degree level program which requires four years of study. The main curriculum on these programs includes the study of all aspects of nursing practice and theory; from adult and maternal to newborn and pediatric. At some colleges, areas such as community, gerontological or psychiatric health will also be covered in the curriculum. As well as nursing practice and theory, courses will also include studying leadership and professional practice. 

Benefits of study 

While some other routes into nursing take less time to study, the BSN degree is a longer and more detailed course that is considered advantageous for a number of reasons. Firstly, taking a BSN means more options to progress further career-wise in the nursing world, and thus the salaries as one moves forward will reflect this. Holding a BSN will grant entry into masters courses or set the student up to progress by taking a Doctor of Nursing program. Some DNP programs are available to study online; for instance, Bradley University offers such opportunities. As well as this, graduates of these courses will enjoy the chance to take on specialized nursing based jobs that exist outside the traditional role. Students could end up specializing in something that they are really passionate about, for instance, a psychiatric nurse, nurse anesthetist, or neonatal intensive care nurse. In addition to this, leadership roles are on the cards if these are what candidates aspire to. 

Job satisfaction 

 Nursing is the ultimate altruistic professional that helps others and gives back. A number of essays and studies have linked being an altruistic person to being a happier person, so nursing candidates could find a career whereby they experience real joy, even though the work can be challenging. Finding something that you love to do is great for the mind and body both, yet sometimes it can be difficult finding out just what that thing is! If your kid is keen to discover if the nursing world is for them, why not suggest that they spent a little time volunteering in supporting role and see if this helps them reach a decision? Spending enough time researching and discovering as much about a potential degree program as you can will aid in making a properly informed choice.

careers, graduation

Choosing the Next Step After High School Graduation

high school graduation

Teenagers can feel pressure to plan their future as the end of their time at high school approaches. Being encouraged to apply for college or to find a job as soon as they have graduated can be difficult, especially when it starts early and they feel like they have to know what they want to do for the rest of their lives. If you want to help a teenager work out what they want to do after high school graduation, you can offer them assistance and encouragement in a number of ways.

Encourage an Open Approach

High schoolers can often feel pressured to make important life choices as soon as possible. They might feel that they need to start choosing colleges and thinking about what their major is going to be before they’re anywhere near finishing high school. But if you want to help a teenager work out what to do after graduation, you can encourage them to keep their options open. There’s no need for them to have a set plan for the future or a solid idea of their post-graduation plans long before they graduate. If they keep an open mind, they could be more likely to find something that suits them.

Explore Options Outside of College

Many teenagers feel that there is pressure to attend college straight after high school. However, more graduates are being put off going to college by high tuition fees and other factors. Educator Dr Jerry Jellig believes that high school students need to be presented with other options, including alternative career paths and routes into college. There are various paths to explore, from vocational schools to employment opportunities after high school. College doesn’t have to be something that is completed straight after high school, if it is a goal at all.

Understand the Current and Future Job Market


It’s worth thinking about what the job market looks like today and what it could look like in a few years. Parents and educators of teenagers today might not be as in touch with the current job market as they might think, especially when it comes to opportunities for people who are just beginning their career. To help teenagers discover a career path that could work for them, you should be aware of what types of jobs are out there and how the skills that teenagers learn today can help them find the right opportunities.

Find Opportunities for Experience

Work experience can help teenagers explore their career options and discover what sort of work they might be interested in. There are a few ways to find work experience, including a short week or two shadowing someone, summer internships or part-time jobs. Work experience might not show high schoolers the exact career that they want to have, but it can reveal to them some of the skills they might want to use or industries they want to explore.

High school graduates don’t have to know what to do for the rest of their lives, but they should know what their next step is. You can help them decide.

careers

Ideal Careers for your Strong Student Leader

leaderIf your child has excellent leadership skills or wants to develop them more, it might be time to start looking at colleges and careers that are suitable for passionate leaders. Children and teenagers have plenty of opportunities to build their leadership skills through the years, and there are some interesting college majors and careers they can explore too.

Business and Entrepreneurship

For people who want to take the lead in their career, working in business or becoming an entrepreneur is often a top choice. It opens up opportunities for them to climb the career ladder and to both use their leadership skills and put forward their own ideas.

Education

Working in education is a good way to use leadership skills to inspire others. There are lots of ways to work in education, teaching different ages and different subjects. You might teach children or adults, ranging from being a school teacher to passing on your area of expertise to people looking for a new hobby or teaching key skills like the English language.

Legal Careers

Working in a legal career as a lawyer or another legal professional presents plenty of opportunities for leadership too. However, it’s likely to be in a different way to how someone might lead a class of people or even a team in an office. Leadership in the legal profession could involve working with a team or with someone one-on-one.

Nonprofit Organizations

If your child is interested in doing good in the world, they might be interested in the leadership skills necessary for working at a nonprofit organization as outlined in this infographic.


Infographic Design By USC

career colleges, careers

Careers in the Medical Field (other than a doctor or a nurse)

 

medical

Is your college-bound teen interested in the medical field but doesn’t want to become a doctor or nurse? It’s good to know there are other avenues they can pursue, and some are even available online.

Who are medical assistants in the medical field? They are the people usually working under doctors. They work in hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Their work is basically to take care of administrative, clerical and clinical tasks. These may include tasks such as scheduling appointments, blood preparation, recording patient history and information,helping with examinations, and recording vital signs.

There are many different medical assistant programs out there. This makes the decision to enroll in a medical assistant program a difficult one. As a potential student, how do you balance your choices from the different programs? I suggest you compare the costs and the length of the program. Different schools out there offer programs, some even offer online programs. You can tell just by logic the convenience of an online program.  I mean can, students get to save a significant amount of money and still be able to study from anywhere.

I have looked at a couple of medical assistant online programs which have been compiled based on affordability and quality. Do you want to graduate with a certification, a diploma, or an associate’s degree? Keep in mind that a diploma or certification takes less time to complete and can get you into the workforce right away and an associate’s degree takes a longer time and its quite useful when you want to a fast track to the top. Medical assistant online courses, make it possible to keep your current lifestyle while pursuing your medical career.  Here are several choices.0

1.The College of Health Care Professions (CHCP)

This college offers a medical assisting certificate and a Healthcare Management degree for further career advancement. To make it legitimate, this school is accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). Medical assisting online courses from this school allow students to complete labs and lectures online with the option of in-field clinical experience at local campuses across the U.S. This quality training requires a tuition fee of $24,133.

2.Kaplan University

This is going to impress you. It is very important to note that this program is fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs. Kaplan University’s online bachelor’s program is known for their quality online medical degrees, and it’s no different for their medical assisting online program either. You can get this quality training for $14,241. If you are not able to fully fund yourself, the school offers financial aid based on the FASFA application.

3.Harrison College

Harrison College is a for-profit college that offers a degree and diploma in medical assisting. Harrison is one of two distance learning CAAHEP accredited medical assisting programs in the nation keeping in mind that CAAHEP is the largest programmatic accreditor in the health sciences field. The online associate of applied science in medical assisting program takes two years, with a medical assistant externship included in the tuition fee which is just $17,100.

4.Liberty University

This is one of the world’s largest online universities. Liberty is a non-profit, Christian school that offers degrees from the certification to the doctoral level. Too good to be true? It is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. This school offers an Associate of Applied Science in Medical Office Assisting program that prepares students to work as assistants in healthcare environments.The tuition fee caps at $20,109 which is fair considering the school’s rep and the quality of training provided.

 

As you can see, these are just but a few options. There are other schools out there that offer such programs. This article has highlighted the best in quality and price to make it easier for your student to make a better decision.

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career colleges, careers

4 Questions to Ask Your Child Before They Decide to Study Medicine

 

study medicine

There is many a student out there with grand ideas of entering the medical profession, with all the prestige, salary, and pride that goes along with doing a job connected with helping others. However, while you’ll understandably be excited that your child is showing an interest to study medicine and join such a worthwhile profession, it’s important to remember that the cost of putting a child through medical school is expensive. As such you’ll need to make sure your child is fully determined to see the course through if you’re going to part with your cash. Below, we take a look at five questions you should be asking your child before they decide to study medicine; it might make them think twice, or give you all the encouragement you need to fund their education.

1. Why?

It’s easy to fall for the image of being a doctor or other medical professional, but the image and the reality are worlds apart. Your child might have a solid understanding of what is driving them towards the medical industry, but you won’t know until you’ve asked them. If they’re especially interested in helping people, understanding how the body works, and working hard, then it might be the right career choice for them. If they have only a vague desire, then try to draw out of them what they want to do – it might not be becoming a doctor, and you’ll be setting them on the right path.

2. Do They Know the Commitment?

Nothing worth having comes overnight, and this is true for becoming a medical professional. It requires a lot of schooling, right through from the time at college, to postgraduate studies, to getting experience in the hospitals. All in all, it’ll be well over a decade until they’re finished with their studies and bringing home a good income. Are they willing to play the long game to get their dream job?

3. Will they be Happy with the Work/Life Balance?

Working in the medical industry isn’t so much about having a job as it is adopting a lifestyle. For instance, asking “how much does a Radiologist make?” is a good question to ask, but it’s important to weigh he potential income (which is high) against the number of hours worked. The good news is that doctors do tend to get more free time as they get more experienced, but the early years can be particularly draining.

4. What Branch of Medicine?

Obviously, the medical field is massive, and as such there are many jobs that a person going down the medical route could end up doing. They could become a surgeon, general hospital doctor, a cardiologist, radiologist, or a whole host of other options. It’s not so important that they pick which discipline they’re most interested in before they start, but it’s good to keep an eye on which jobs will be safe for the future; doctors will always be in demand, but some surgeons might see their procedures automated.

If they can answer all these confidently and positively, then you might have a future doctor on your hands!

careers

Is Nursing Right for Your Student?

 

nursing

One of the most important things that everyone should do before choosing a career is to look into their chosen field in great detail. This should include the bad and the downright ugly bits as well as just the good stuff. Why? Well, it’s because only by knowing the challenges you will come up against will students be able to determine whether it is truly something that they want to dedicate their life to, or whether their talents are better used elsewhere. With this in mind get your students to check out all three parts of this post introducing nursing,  to see whether it is a good match for them.

The Good

Helping people

Of course, at the top of many students’ lists is finding a career that enables them to help others. Nursing is great for this because not only do they get to provide physical care and aid with people recovery, there is also the aspect of bedside manner. The emotional care that can help people feel better when they are in difficult situations. In fact, this element is often cited as a reason why people chose nursing over being a doctor because they have more one to one time with patients to be able to establish this.

Doing an essential job

Nursing is also a great role, for those that are concerned with doing a job that is essential to society. Nurses are vital and will remain so. Meaning anyone studying in this area can be confident in the fact that they will be doing a useful and meaningful role once they are qualified.

Specialisms

Another appealing facet of going into nursing is that their air many areas that individual can specialize in. From things like wound care, gerontology, and intensive care work, to outpatient rehabilitation and new baby checks. It’s likely that there will be something in this field that is the perfect match for most students.

Flexible training life long learning

Nursing is also a profession where you are expected to never give up learning. Always being on the ball with new research in your area as well as being able to do additional training to help you move up the career ladder. In fact, you can even do an Online RN to BSN Degree now. Meaning that you can continue working in your RN position and study for your BSc in a flexible way. Something that can save on cost, and also is much more convenient as you can work on your assignments at home around your shifts.

Lots of jobs

Something else that is most definitely in favor of choosing a nursing career is that it’s a role where there is nearly always a demand for employees. This is great news for students going into the profession because they can be fairly sure that they will have job security. Something that is very important to many, especially when they have bills to pay and a family to support.

Can travel the world

Lastly, in the good section, it’s worth mentioning that nursing is one of those careers that provide you with the opportunity of traveling while you work. This is because nurses are often categorized as essential workers. Meaning that getting a temporary work VISA in another country, and well as emigrating permanently is often a lot easier than it would be if you have another profession.

The Bad

Shift work

Of course, nursing isn’t all roses, and there are some things that student need to know about this profession before they take the leap. In particular, that shift work that can be at night as well as in the day can be a challenge for many. Either because it can mess with their own sleep routine, or it can create problems with relationships and even childcare.

On feet all the time

Nursing is also one of those professions where it’s all go a lot of the time. That means nurses are often always on their feet, with little chance for breaks or rests in between tasks. This can be incredibly exhausting, especially when done over a long period of time. As the body never gets to rest and rejuvenate probably. This can lead to issues with things like plantar fasciitis, back pain, and strains that can be painful, and impede a nurse’s ability to work.

Understaffed and low budgets

Lastly, in the bad section, it is worth noting that depending on the area you work in as a nurse you may come up against issues such as there not being enough staff for the work that there is. This is often a budgetary issue and is more likely in facilities that provide care for those that cannot pay for it themselves.  

Of course m if you do find yourself working in such a situation, it can be stressful as well as rewarding because you will be asked to do so much more, as there isn’t anyone else there that is qualified to do it.

The Ugly

Have to deal with the public when they are their worst

It’s also worth mentioning that while the chance to make an emotional difference in someone’s life is a vital aspect of nursing. It’s not all about mopping fevered brows and offering words of wisdom. Nurses also have to deal with the public, usually, when they are hurt, ill, or in pain. Meaning that they are not always at their best. This can be something that is truly stressful and difficult and is definitely an issue to be aware of before embarking on the profession.  

Strong constitutions

Lastly, being a nurse definitely not a career for students that are faint of  heart. As they have to deal with extreme situations, injuries, bodily fluids and even the fragility of life each and every day. This is something that can be particularly tough to get to grips with, and as nurses are really on the front line with regard to these issues, it should be something that is factored into any career decisions before they are made.