9781422276631

Computers, Communications & the Arts F or millions of Americans, life after high school means stepping into the real world. Each year more than 1 million of the nation’s 3.1 million high school graduates go directly into the workforce. Clearly, college isn’t for everyone. Many people learn best by using their hands rather than by sitting in a classroom. Others find that the escalating cost of college puts it beyond reach, at least for the time being. During the 2016–2017 school year, for instance, tuition and fees at a “moderate” four-year, in-state public college averaged $24,610, not including housing costs, according to The College Board. The good news is that there’s a wide range of exciting, satisfying careers available without a four-year bachelor’s degree or even a two-year associate’s de- gree. Careers in Demand for High School Graduates highlights specific, in-demand careers in which individuals who have only a high school diploma or the general educational development (GED) credential can find work, with or without further training (outside of college). These jobs span the range from apprentice electronics technician to chef, teacher’s assistant, Web page designer, sales associate, and lab technician. The ad- ditional training that some of these positions require may be completed either on the job, through a certificate program, or during an apprenticeship that combines entry-level work and class time. Happily, there’s plenty of growth in the number of jobs that don’t require a college diploma, though that growth is fastest for positions that call for additional technical training or a certificate of proficiency. So what career should a high school graduate consider? The range is so broad that Careers in Demand for High School Graduates includes 10 volumes, each based on related career fields from the Department of Labor’s career clusters. Within each volume approximately 10 careers are profiled, encouraging readers to focus on a wide selection of job possibilities, some of which readers may not even know exist. To en- able readers to narrow their choices, each chapter offers a self-assessment quiz that helps answer the question, “Is this career for me?” What’s more, each job profile in- cludes an insightful look at what the position involves, highlights of a typical day, insight into the work environment, and an interview with someone on the job. An essential part of the decision to enter a particular field includes how much additional training is needed. Careers in Demand features opportunities that require no further academic study or training beyond high school as well as those that do. Readers in high school can start prepping for careers immediately through volunteer work, internships, academic classes, technical programs, or career academies. (Currently, for instance, one in four students concentrates on

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