Which pathway to take? Nowadays learners have a lot of option and choice and at CTL Academy Global we work with students to explore their interests and help to find pathways that make sense. There are several different tools we use to help learners explore and consider their options and always couple the tool with a conversation with one of our trained pathways coach because we value the 1:1 and the importance of the conversation that leads to specific action steps.
Before diving in too deep parents and guardians along with their learners would benefit from understanding the different landscapes that exist.
Traditional Route (in the US) is something many of us parents/guardians may have experienced. Attend high school, earn a high school diploma, maybe take a few advanced placement courses and community college courses along the way and apply and attend an accredited university. This route still exists but now can be embellished in different ways including:
- taking university level courses such as Arizona State University Universal Learner program
- doing an internship
- exploring the world through travel, volunteering, and living abroad
- starting a company or building an invention
- competing in a variety of international competitions that require some kind of impact aligned to the UN Sustainable Goals such as Global Social Leaders, Non-Pivotal, Breakthrough Khan Academy Challenge, PACT to name a few
Alternative Route (in the US and abroad) may be an academic journey lead by a home educator curating the learning experiences. This parent or home educator typically works with their children and finds opportunities, courses and programs that they put together and eventually can lead to a transcript that the parent produces.
The Post High School landscape is ever changing and definitely different from when we as parents were young. The top jobs/careers anticipated require different skill sets and students will need to be adaptable and know how to persevere. Below is a list of predicted options.
In addition I would add plumber, food technician and event planner given that these jobs all require a lot knowledge, organization and ability to communicate with others. Economist Jack Kelly wrote This article that reviews the 30 fastest growing jobs in the next 10 years. He works with data produced by the Bureau of Labor Statistics which compiles monthly job losses and additions.
Hockey star Wayne Gretzky famously said, “I skate to where the puck is going, not where it has been.” It’s the same way with your career. You need to look forward. Anticipate the emerging trends. Figure out how you can leverage your skills to pivot toward a fast-growing career instead of being stuck with a job that’s going nowhere.
Kelly, J. (2022, November 9). The 30 Fastest-Growing Jobs And Careers For The Next 10 Years. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2021/09/16/the-30-fastest-growing-jobs-and-careers-for-the-next-10-years/?sh=14764000609f
The bottomline for Gen Z is the importance of them finding a pathway that fulfills them. The pathway may include university- which can be anywhere in the world. Some options to be aware of that can take learners to the US, UK and Europe.
Here is a basic comparison of the different university options: The premise is that learners are graduating high school with an US accredited high school diploma, SAT/ACT test scores and a few Advanced Placement courses or dual enrollment university courses.
| US | UK | Europe | |
| Application Process* | Depending upon State and Public vs. Private. More than 1000 colleges use the Common App system. | UCAS website is how to apply to 99% of UK universities. | Each country has its own system. This website lists many English language university programs. |
| Accomodation | Typically for the first year there is on-campus housing and may continue or student housing is nearby. | This varies though must UK universities have housing for their students for at least the first year. | This varies though it is more common that students live in apartments near campus and housing is not part of the university. |
| Year in program for Bachelor’s Degree | 4-5 | 3 | 3-4 |
| Program Design | First two years are general education and then you engage in a major; can dual major. Can change majors within first year or two. | Typically all three years are focused on one major or a more specialized field of study. Difficult to change majors. | Varies in design. |
| Tuition | Higher than in the UK or Europe. | Lower than the US. | Varies depending upon country and program. |
Next steps- parents/guardians should have conversations with their young people to learn more about what drives them and taps into their motivation and curiosity. We are here to help with these conversations and provide short courses to help students identify their pathways along with supporting the application process as well. Feel free to check out our offer here.
CTL Academy Global 