Toronto Mike

Summer Programs to Kick Start a Child's Career Path

Remember when you asked your child what they wanted to be  when they grow up when they were younger? Any answer was endearing—maybe they  said they wanted to be a doctor or a superhero.   That question is asked more often and seriously once kids become  teenagers in high school. It’s not just you who’s asking your child what they  want to do for a living; their friends, family members and teachers are asking  the same thing. Cute answers like “princess” and “superman” unfortunately don’t  cut it anymore. Talk about being under pressure.

For teens, deciding on a career path is difficult enough.  It can also be confusing (and terrifying) when they have to choose and apply  for a program in college or university. Thankfully, there are some ways to help  your teen decide on what type of career or post-secondary education to pursue.

Encourage Your Teen  to Work as a Camp Counsellor at Summer Camps
 When kids spend the summer working at a part-time or  seasonal job, they’re bulking up their resume and gaining real world  experience. At work, your teen will always be exposed to new people,  responsibilities and situations. Without a doubt, your child will learn new  skills and be more aware of their strengths and what they can improve on.

Keep in mind that securing a summer job could be tricky  since many kids apply for these positions. Remind your teen to update their  resume and search for jobs a few months before the summer hits.

One of the most popular and rewarding summer jobs for teens  is working as a camp counsellor at kids summer camps. This job involves multiple responsibilities. Not only will they be very busy,  your teen will gain a sense of what type of future or career they might like.  They will learn and use valuable skills such as:

  1. Organizing and leading activities, trips and  events
  2. Supervising and monitoring kids to ensure their  safety
  3. Maintaining positive relationships with parents  of children
  4. Maintaining control of children
  5. Clear communication with staff, children and  parents of children

These duties and skills that your teen performs can be  applied to various careers such as teaching or early childhood education.  Maintaining these responsibilities and working closely with younger children  gives your teen a clear picture if they’re comfortable in this type of  environment. By working as a summer camp counsellor, your  teen will gain valuable job experience and what their professional strengths  are.

Picking a University  Major isn’t an Easy Decision
 The reality is that many teenagers feel anxious when picking a major to study  in university or college. This is especially true when they’re in their last  year of high school. It’s nerve wracking because some kids really don’t know  which path they want to take. Some kids feel the pressure to pick a program  that would satisfy their parents. Others just major in something they feel  half-hearted about. Unfortunately, sometimes the end result is that students  end up changing their majors or they drop out of their program altogether.

Enrol Your Child in a  Summer Course at a University Campus
 If you want to help your child decide on what to study in university, there’s  nothing better than getting hands-on experience. Mention the idea of taking a  summer program at a university campus to your child. These programs involve  classes that are modelled after post-secondary courses. Summer programs give  high school students a real taste of university life and education.  Your teen will feel much more academically prepared and discover what subjects  really interest them. They’ll also be able to participate in extracurricular  activities and events. They’ll basically get a rich introduction to university  life and expectations in the span of a few weeks.

Attending a summer program can cut a huge deal of anxiety  for your child for when they actually enter university. That’s because they’ll  already have an idea of what to expect when they start their post-secondary  education. Besides, since when was being prepared for something a bad thing?

If your teen has trouble with choosing what to study or what  career path to take, let them know that they shouldn’t feel rushed to make a  decision. Encourage them to work a part-time or seasonal job. Help them get  their feet wet in a summer program at university campuses. This way, they’ll  gain real experience that might help them decide on what they want to do in the  future.

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