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Chat with your guidance
counselor
Remember: the guidance counselors at your school are there as
a sounding board to help you find the right path for you. Perhaps
it was even a counselor who put this book into your hands in the
first place! Once you’ve had an opportunity to think more about
the specific trade or trades that interest you, an appointment with
your counselor should be one of the first priorities on your list. Your
counselor will be able to help you look into career and technical
education opportunities in your school district, enroll in courses
that are relevant to your new career aspirations, and otherwise help
you start plotting a pathway toward the post-high school journey
you wish to take.
Explore other
opportunities locally
With few exceptions, most of the jobs in the skilled trades that we
have discussed are in growing industries with great job prospects.
Employers in most of these industries need talented, hardworking,
reliable workers. As a result, if you look around your local area, there
is a good chance you will find programs or opportunities sponsored
by local employers that can help you start immersing yourself in
the trades now.
One example is Manufacturing Day, an annual event that takes
place the first Friday of October. On that day, organizations across
all 50 states host their own manufacturing events, highlighting
local manufacturers with open houses, factory and plant tours,
demonstrations, presentations, and other engagements. According
to the U.S. Department of Commerce, these events draw more than
400,000 students, parents, and community members each year.
Manufacturers use Manufacturing Day as a chance to highlight