Career exploration is the process of researching, evaluating, and learning about modern work opportunities and how students can pursue the careers of their choice. It is an ongoing process that requires self-reflection on your collective experiences, such as extracurricular activities, in-the-field experiences, your courses, passion projects, networking, and your degree. The career exploration process involves several steps, including self-assessment, evaluating majors and careers, researching careers, and gaining experience.

There are many ways to embark on career exploration, such as Google searching careers, browsing career websites, connecting with working professionals to inquire about their careers, or trying out part-time jobs or internships. Career exploration is a tool for defining your next step in a world of many existing next steps. It is important to reflect on what you already know about yourself, such as your likes, values, strengths, and interests, as these are pieces of data that can inform the work that you might want to do in the long run.

Career exploration is not a one-time event, and it is an ongoing process that requires self-reflection and research. It helps students connect the dots between school and career in ways that keep them motivated to graduate with the skills they will need for the future. Greater career exploration activities tend to improve the aspirations and achievements of students from all backgrounds, meaning they are more likely to graduate and to go on to post-secondary education.

Overall, career exploration is an essential process for students to learn about modern work opportunities and how they can pursue the careers of their choice. It is an ongoing process that requires self-reflection, research, and gaining experience.