As the school year comes to an end, high school graduates undergo the process of higher education applications, paving the path that will determine their future.
Most students are forced to choose between what they are truly passionate about and what would secure them a spot in today’s fluctuating job market. And while some career paths offer a combination of both. Many students have to choose between one of the two and deal with the consequences.
The balance between one’s passion for a specific career path and the possibility of securing a job after graduation is becoming a common challenge due to several factors. From a cultural perspective, some conservative societies prefer girls to work at specific jobs like teaching or health care which makes the choice limited and more complicated, especially since both fields involve long hours of social interaction in situations that demand special skills.
Other factors include the diversity of today’s job market with routine jobs being easily replaced by technology and artificial intelligence while new roles require more training and special skills that may not be available to most graduates. Another important point to consider is the influences of once parents and what they perceive as a more employable field of study which is not necessarily free from bias and stereotypes made about certain jobs.
One may choose to follow the path they truly enjoy and deal with the struggle to secure a job with a stable income, while someone else would prioritise job stability over passion. To freshly graduated students, this decision may seem like the biggest choice of their lives. And while it may be, it is not as black and white as it is made up to be.
Overall, the stress over future possibilities can take a huge mental toll on youngsters, especially with their sudden exposure to the beginning of adult life and its responsibilities. Students at this stage need to acknowledge that whatever choice they make is not the end of their lives, but the start of their careers and success.
Choosing the right field of study is the main step to a flourishing future. Partially because employees with little to no interest fail to create huge success in fields they do care about as they are only focused on profit. On the other hand, others achieve true success driven by passion.
When my teenage sons were choosing what field to study after graduating from high school, I reminded them that such a choice would not only determine their income but also where they would be spending the majority of their time as well as their social status and circle of friends.
In my opinion, when choosing a career, students should be mindful of the importance of balancing passion towards a particular field and the chances of employment to avoid frustration, talk to the career adviser in your school who can help you recognise your passion and attend, career exhibitions that provide more information about the jobs opportunities so you can make a well-informed decision.
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