Career Exploration Resources
Students should start thinking about their future career plans as early as freshman year. Take a career interest assessment, consider your skills, and keep these things in mind as you make decisions about which classes to take and which post-high school pathway to follow. There are many free resources available to help with the career planning process. You can find in depth information on different types of jobs and careers, and search for programs and colleges that offer training in these majors/careers. Research colleges and/ or training programs, and narrow down your list based on your own personal requirements.
Sites to Explore Your Interests & Career Opportunities
Big Future Careers - The College Board partnered with Roadtrip Nation to create Career Finder, an online tool that helps students make informed academic decisions about careers based on their personal interests and what truly drives them. Create an account at College Board and start exploring.
Career Coach - Discover majors, in-demand careers and education based on your interests through this tool from Las Positas College. You can even create a resume with the resume tool.
California Career Zone - Assessment tools, interest profiler, skills profiler, and work value profiler. Explore job families.
California Career Center - The California Career Center (CalCC) is your career planning website with tools to help you map your future, whether looking ahead to college, apprenticeship, the military or other options. CalCC is focused on resources for students but also contains resources for counselors, parents, teachers.
Career One Stop Career Videos - Career videos are organized into 16 clusters, or related types of work. Select a category to view a list of videos related to that cluster. Videos include career details such as tasks, work settings, education needed, and more.
My Next Move - an interactive tool for job seekers and students to learn more about their career options. The site has tasks, skills, salary information, and more for over 900 different careers. Users can find careers through keyword search; by browsing industries that employ different types of workers; or through the O*NET Interest Profiler, a tool that offers personalized career suggestions based on a person's interests and level of work experience.
Occupational Outlook Handbook - Hosted by the U.S. Department of Labor, the OOH can help you find career information on duties, education and training, pay, and outlook for hundreds of occupations.
O*NET Online - Tool for career exploration and job analysis. O*NET OnLine has detailed descriptions of the world of work for use by job seekers, workforce development and HR professionals, students, researchers, and more.
Principles You - Accurate self-knowledge is the key to getting what you want out of life. PrinciplesYou applies your results to real-life situations, so you can see your tendencies in action and get the right guidance to help you achieve your goals.
Explorer Posts
Explorer Posts are open to young people, typically between the ages of 14-20, although specific explorer program age ranges may vary. Explorer programs are characterized by career exploration activities, including hands-on training and mentorship opportunities in the area of focus.
Law Enforcement Explorer Program
California Highway Patrol (CHP) Explorer Program (Dublin, CA)
Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Explorer Post
Career Focused Resources
Careers in Nursing - California Board of Registered Nursing website to learn about careers in nursing, steps to becoming a nurse, reputable resources for future nurses and more.
Manufacturing Jobs Newsletter - students can sign up for this newsletter to receive information about manufacturing jobs, career fairs, scholarships, online manufacturing classes, community college training programs, manufacturing careers.
Teach California - California faces a shortage of special education, mathematics, and science teachers. The TEACH California Website is designed to explain the teacher preparation process, assist prospective teachers in creating their plan to become credentialed teachers, provide relevant content, and offer links to important resources.