Once graduating from high school, children are viewed as adults and adapt to this idea of the real world. While it can be scary for children to imagine, it is a rite of passage for others. Are they truly prepared for what is awaiting them on the other side? Schools love to talk about high graduation rates, but most times, students have no clue about their plans after graduation. In my experience, post-secondary plans are not discussed as much as once you become juniors or seniors in high school, which I feel is too late for students to make a decision. The priority of school systems is to prepare you for the next step, which they believe is college. They don’t take into account that not all students are interested in attending college and there are not a lot of courses available for other choices. For example, if you wanted to go into the military, there should be a course offered to 8th graders and freshmen that serves as an introduction to the military. It should teach students about the requirements that recruiters look for in potential cadets.  Schools must better prepare their students for success after high school through many different avenues.

One of these avenues offered to students should be career days. Career Days should be infused into the curriculum as well to give students an opportunity. I remember in 2nd grade, my teacher asked the class to draw what they want to be when they grow up. I wanted to be a fashion designer for the longest time. Honestly, I had no idea what I wanted to do because, at that age, children want to be anything and everything. In elementary school, we had career days, where parents of students would come in and talk about what they do for a living. I was so fascinated by the many careers that I saw during our rotation. It helped me to start thinking about my goals in life and where I wanted to be. According to the article “Career Days: Helping Children Learn What They Want to Be,” Marshall states” Career days can help students as young as elementary school start thinking more in depth about what they want to do as adults. There are numerous benefits to having career-focused programs in schools to prepare students for their futures with the hope that perhaps their road to a career will be a bit easier.” Being a high school senior, I am glad to have been exposed to this, so early because it inspired me to dream big. My school has an experiential learning program that allows students to get paid internships and have experience working out in the field. They have internships for childcare, firefighters, manufacturing, culinary, and IT. I have taken fashion classes throughout my four years of high school, but it has not brought me to a place where I can say that I would be ready to join the fashion industry. I have no idea how to make a fashion portfolio which is vital if I want to be in the field.. I wish that there was a fashion internship that I could have taken part in during my sophomore year. I feel so unprepared to pursue this career in the future. My school has yet to create a fashion class that allows students to get exposed to the fashion field. Schools should have electives that students can take to gain real-world knowledge on the industry so that they can be fully prepared for whatever career they choose. According to American Progress, “Preparing American Students for the Workforce of the Future'' the author states, ”From early grades, students are not prepared across a wide range of skills; students are not exposed to a rich set of career preparation activities;...” This proves the fact that schools aren’t doing enough to fully prepare students for the future. At the end of the day, without proper preparation and readiness for the “real world,” youth who are destined for greatness will not be able to attain it and will end up falling short. According to The Journal,” National Survey Finds High School High School Graduates Not Prepared for College or Career Decisions'' Lucariello states'' Significantly, 62% felt that high school should prepare them for future careers, but 57% reported five or fewer conversations with teachers or counselors about opportunities following graduation, and a large 80% felt they “would have been more engaged in their learning if they better understood their own aptitudes and potential career opportunities.” This shows just how ill-prepared students are for their future which is quickly approaching. The future is now and we have to take control over what we define as success because all of our successes are different. We do not all come from the same cutter or mold. We are all uniquely different and our journeys should reflect that sentiment.