Career Planning

Career planning starts with understanding yourself—your interests, strengths, values, and goals—and exploring where they can take you. From discovering career possibilities to choosing the education or training needed to get there, each step helps you make informed decisions about your future.

Career planning isn't a one-time decision. It's a process of exploring, learning, gaining experience, and adjusting your plans as your interests and goals evolve.

Career Planning at Every Stage

Life Stage

What to Focus On

👧Elementary

Build curiosity, discover interests, and learn about different careers through exploration and play.

🎒Middle School

Connect interests to career pathways, explore occupations, and begin planning for high school.

🎓High School

Research careers, gain real-world experience, explore education and training options, and develop a career plan.

🎓College Students

Build professional experience through internships, networking, leadership opportunities, and career preparation.

👨‍👩‍👧Parents & Guardians

Encourage exploration, ask questions, and support career conversations and informed decision-making.

Career Planning Framework

Career planning can feel like a big decision, but breaking the process into steps makes it easier to explore your options and build a plan that works for you.

Explore Yourself

Start With You

Choosing a career begins with understanding yourself. Your interests, skills, values, strengths, and personality can help you identify career fields that may be a good fit.

Career assessments are a great place to start. No assessment can tell you exactly what career you should choose, but the results can introduce possibilities, identify patterns, and give you careers and pathways to explore.

Things to Consider

What subjects and activities do you enjoy?
What are you naturally good at?
What skills would you like to develop?
What is important to you in a future career?
What kind of work environment appeals to you?

Career Assessments

Career planning starts with understanding who you are. Explore your interests, skills, values, and strengths through career assessments designed to help you identify career pathways and opportunities that may be a good fit.

Explore Yourself with Career Assessments →

Need help understanding your results? Schedule a career planning appointment with an ICAN advisor.

What happens next?

Once you understand more about yourself, use your results to start investigating careers.

Discover Careers

Turn Your Interests Into Possibilities

Career assessment results are a starting point—not a final answer. Use what you've learned about your interests, skills, and values to explore career fields and discover occupations that may be a good fit.

Explore Career Clusters

Career clusters organize related careers into broad fields based on similar skills, interests, and types of work. Exploring career clusters can introduce you to occupations you may not have considered and help you understand how different careers connect to your interests and goals.

As you explore, look beyond the job title. Consider the work you'll do, skills you'll need, education and training required, potential salary, and future job opportunities.

Explore Careers & Career Clusters →

Choose Your Pathway

Try Careers Before You Choose One

Research is important, but experience can help you determine whether a career really fits. Look for opportunities to explore careers in the real world before making decisions about education or training.

This is where much of your existing Discover Your Pathway content belongs.

Ways to Explore

Take classes related to your interests.
Participate in career and college fairs.
Complete job shadows.
Explore internships and work-based learning.
Volunteer with organizations connected to your interests.
Find a part-time job that builds relevant skills.
Join clubs and extracurricular activities.
Talk with professionals working in careers you're considering.

Explore Job Shadows & Internships →

Explore Career & College Fairs →

Learn About Employer Expectations →

Explore Education & Training

Find the Path That Gets You There

Once you've identified careers that interest you, determine what education, training, or credentials you'll need to enter the field.

I'd retain your important message that education after high school doesn't automatically mean a four-year degree.

Then simplify the current giant degree explanation into pathway choices:

Apprenticeships & Career Training

Earn while you learn through structured training that combines classroom instruction and on-the-job experience.

Explore Apprenticeships & Career Training →

Certificates & Diplomas

Build specialized skills for careers that require focused training, often in a year or less.

Explore Certificate & Diploma Careers →

Two-Year Degrees

Explore associate degrees and technical programs that prepare students for employment or transfer to a four-year institution.

Explore Two-Year Careers →

Four-Year Degrees

Explore careers requiring bachelor's degrees and learn how majors connect to career opportunities.

Explore Four-Year Careers →

Graduate & Professional Education

Learn about careers requiring master's, doctoral, medical, law, or other advanced degrees.

Explore Graduate-Level Careers →

Military

Explore career training, education benefits, and professional opportunities available through military service.

Explore Military Career Options →

Build Your Financial Plan

Connect Career Goals to Financial Decisions

Career planning and financial planning go hand in hand. Understanding what you may earn in your chosen career can help you make informed decisions about how much to spend—and potentially borrow—for your education or training.

Research Before You Commit

Consider:

What is the expected starting salary?
What will your education or training cost?
How much financial aid might be available?
How much would you need to borrow?
Will your expected income comfortably support your future payments and living expenses?

Then feature your ICAN borrowing philosophy prominently:

ICAN Tip

As a general guideline, consider keeping your total education borrowing at or below your expected first-year salary. Comparing education costs with potential earnings can help you make a more affordable long-term decision.

Explore Financial Aid →

Use Budgeting Calculators →

Learn About Responsible Borrowing →