9781422270615

Introduction

Students are often interested in learning more about careers, but many don’t take the steps necessary to do so, according to a survey of 14- to 18-year-olds by the nonprofit ECMC Group. It found that while 74 percent of respondents believe it is important to have their career plans determined when they graduate from high school, only 39 percent have taken classes or participated in programs to explore occupations. Many young people are not aware of the wide range of activities that are available to help them explore the field they’re considering, discover career paths, and learn what it takes to train and be successful in a given occupation. If you are a middle school or high school student, here are just a few of the exploration activities in which you can participate. • nursing skills and general STEM competitions • school clubs • interviews and job shadowing experiences with nurses • summer exploration camps • first aid and CPR classes • volunteer opportunities at local medical offices and in other settings • tours of hospitals and other locations where nurses do their work • books, websites, podcasts, and videos • mentorship programs • resources from professional nursing associations, companies, and government agencies Each title in the Getting Started series provides everything that you need to know about exploring careers while you’re in middle and high school. It also includes a wealth of information about more than 25 occupations, educational requirements, paying for school,

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