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Part Two Exploring Career Options
Exploring Careers
In this chapter, you will read about the 16 career clusters
identified by the U.S. Department of Education. The careers
in each cluster are based on common interests and skills. If
one career interests you, it is likely that other careers in the
same cluster will also interest you.
A variety of jobs requiring different levels of education
and training exist within each cluster. You may notice that
some jobs belong in more than one cluster. For example,
food scientist belongs in the Agriculture, Food, and Natural
Resources cluster and the Science, Technology, Engineering,
and Mathematics cluster.
When you find a career that appeals to you, you will want
to find out more about it. You may want to research several
career paths. Keep your interests in mind. This will help you
choose a career that you will enjoy.
You learned in Chapter 1 that transferable skills can be
used successfully in many different careers. For example,
foodservice workers, office assistants, and salespeople are
just a few of the workers who must know how to schedule
activities. Customer service representatives, waiters, and
nurses must have good listening skills. If you begin a career
and your interests change, many skills used in one career can
be used in another.
Using the techniques you learned in Chapter 4, begin
exploring the career clusters. The Occupational Outlook
Handbook and the O*NET contain extensive information to
help guide you in choosing a career.
Job Growth
In general, employment between 2006 and 2016 is
expected to increase by 15.6 million jobs. This growth will
be seen in some industries and occupations much more
than others. The chart in 5-1 shows the occupational areas
that will experience the greatest growth of salaried and paid
positions across the nation. (Your teachers may have similar
information that pertains specifically to your state.)