Career Paths for Everyone
"The Journey to finding your passion is a lifelong endeavor"
The misconception is that one's career path is a straight line. From A to B. From school to job to retirement. This is a career myth that has deep roots and must be challenged.
The more traditional career path is that there is no traditional path. Everyone has a different journey. Everyone finds their way on their terms. The goal of Your Future: Make it Your Own (YF:MIYO) is to give students tools, information, and resources that will help them identify their strengths and abilities, and uncover their passions and interests, to help them find a meaningful career.
Essentially, identify what they're good at, what they like, and how they can get paid for it.
What Career Path is Best Suited for Your Skills and Interests?
Click the tabs + to see a snapshot of pros and cons for each pathPROS
- Higher entry-level pay
- Low stigma
- Breadth of access to career information
- Versatility in career changes
- High job mobility
CONS
- Delayed career gratification
- Student Debt
PROS
- Medium entry-level pay
- Breadth of access to career information
- Versatility in career changes
- Higher job mobility
CONS
- Medium stigma
- Low Student Debt
- Delayed career gratification
PROS
- Instant gratification
- Learning on the job
- Career experience
- Learn what you like/don't like
CONS
- Low entry-level pay
- Low upward mobility
PROS
- Immediate career
- Family-centric path
- Heritage and tradition
- High mobility
- Stability
CONS
- High stigma
- External negative perception
- Low entry level pay
PROS
- Quick way to upskill
- Higher job mobility
- Low Investment
- Learn while on the job
CONS
- Low availability across industries
- Hard finding the right certifying entity
PROS
- Instant gratification
- High job demand
- High entry-level pay
CONS
- Medium stigma
- Lack of path information
- Lack of available resources to identify opportunities
PROS
- Higher entry-level consideration
- Insight into what you like/don't like
- Higher job mobility
CONS
- Competitive
- Lack of availability for certain industries/paths
PROS
- On the job learning
- Higher entry-level pay
- Immediate skill and experience
CONS
- Hard to find
- Lack of breadth of programs
- Only for certain industries/paths
PROS
- Autonomy
- High risk, high reward
- On-the-job education
- Instant career
- High job mobility
CONS
- High risk, high reward
- Need assets or investment
- Low entry-level pay
- Medium to high debt
what does these different paths mean to me?
Let's Learn More About These Different Options
Select one of the career paths to learn more about opportunities and resources.
Pursuing Certifications
Certifications have become a major option for learners, students, workers, and anyone that is eager to up skill, learn something new, or advance new skills and abilities.
But, it can be difficult to navigate and find the certification program that makes the most sense to you and your situation.
There are plenty of online courses that offer industry-based certifications but which ones do employers really consider as foundational learning experiences? Here in northeast Indiana, Ivy Tech offers over 70 different 2-year degree programs but they also offer certificates, technical certificates and workforce certificates.
Everything from auto body technology certificates, electrical specialist, cyber security A+, to early childhood education and much more.
These certificates can accelerate your current career path mobility and take you to the next step in your journey.
CERTIFICATION PROVIDER LIST
We've identified a few resources about certifications that might help guide your research and decision-making.
RESOURCE
- Indiana’s List of Promoted Industry Certifications
- 15 Certification Programs for Careers That Pay Well (US News & World Report)
- 10 Best Certificate Programs for High Paying Jobs (College Consensus)
- 6 Month Certificate Programs That Pay Well (EdSmart)
- Professional Certificates (Coursera)
- Top 5 Certificate Programs for Career Advancement (Bestcollegereviews.org)
- Ivy Tech Degrees and Certificates
Things to Consider for Each Career Path
Look at the sliders to review this career path to see if it makes sense for your situation, needs, and wants.
