Making Career Decisions With Direction

Ever since Woodbridge N. Ferris founded what would ultimately become Ferris State University, our mission has been to provide career-oriented education. Despite this, many students arrive at the University their freshman year uncertain about their career interests and options.
For both individual students and the country at large, lack of knowledge concerning career choices is cause for concern. On the one hand, employers in business and industry plead for qualified workers, while on the other hand thousands of young adults enter college unsure that the educational plan they’ve embarked upon is right for them. An under-utilized workforce restrains our national economy while at the same time the career dreams of thousands of individuals are being diminished.
Career guidance and decision-making by young adults is an important issue and one that Ferris State takes seriously. In the past year, based on the University’s successful statewide Partnership for Career Decision-Making initiative, we have established a new FSU Career Institute for Education and Workforce Development. The first project under the auspices of the Career Institute was a national survey of high-school juniors and seniors, which aimed to assess their career guidance and decision-making. Teaming up with Ferris on this study were three national trade associations. A report entitled “Decisions Without Direction: Career Guidance and Decision-making Among American Youth” outlines the study’s findings and makes recommendations for improving career guidance among young adults.
The study revealed several alarming findings that argue for increased career guidance in high school. Of the more than 800 high school students surveyed, more than half (51 percent) said no one at their high school had been helpful in advising them on career or educational options. When asked who had been primarily responsible for helping them plan for a career or job, just 10 percent identified school personnel. Although 78 percent said that one or both parents had been helpful in providing career guidance, such advice amounted to three hours or less of discussion during the previous few months.
The report recommends funding and empowering secondary-level career counselors; better utilizing the summer months to educate students, parents and teachers about career options; further increasing partnerships between educators and industry; and promoting the “career pathways” concept. Whatever your own career is, I hope you will join your friends at Ferris by talking to young people so that they will be more knowledgeable when it comes to making one of the most important decisions in life.

Sincerely,

William A. Sederburg
President

 

FERRIS STATE UNIVERSITY
Big Rapids, Michigan
USA - 49307

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