Angela DeFreitas,Contributor
Whether you are in school or out of school and still studying, there is a point at which you have to decide which subjects to take. Our local Caribbean examining body - the Caribbean Examinations Council (or CXC) - offers over 30 subjects at the secondary level or CSEC as it is called.
These subjects range from agricultural science and principles of accounts through theatre, music and visual arts to biology, chemistry, economics, geography - with many more in between. There are many subjects which you are probably not aware of and which may not even be offered at your school.
With so many options and possibilities, how will you know which subjects to choose?
Broad based
Everyone initially needs a broad base of education on which to build before choosing specific areas of interest in which to specialise. Your choice of subjects to be taken should therefore not narrow you down too soon.
Your selection should always include:
A language - this opens you to a lot of possibilities globally.
Information technology - this is a must in any area of life in the 21st century. Mathematics and English language - Mathematics and English are core subjects without which you will find it difficult to move forward either to the working world or to another higher-level educational institution.
As you narrow down your options of which others to do, the subjects you select should relate to the career path you have chosen. Visiting career, education and college fairs will give you a better understanding of the programmes and career areas that colleges and universities have to offer, especially those closest to you, and what the specific entry requirements are.
Self assessment
Your self-assessment will help you to know who you are and the things which you like and which do well. Results of internal exams you have taken will indicate which subjects you get the best marks in. When you put all of this information together you will then be on the right track towards choosing subjects which you will enjoy, do well in and which will help you on your chosen career path.
Take the highest level courses which you can master at the stage that you are at. In this way, higher-level educational and training programmes will always be open to you, should you decide to seek such education after secondary level school at any time in the future.
Remember, also, not to narrow your educational options too early. This means that you should not drop subjects without thinking carefully.
Choosing career
Choosing a career is one of the most important decisions your child will have to make. The right decision, made at the right time and linked to the right educational path, can mean the difference between great success in life and mediocrity and under-achievement.
Your child needs to choose a career in which he or she will be happy and satisfied, one from which they can live comfortably, make good earnings and have positive friends with whom they can connect. This will not only make them happy employees or entrepreneurs but also sociable people.
Parental involvement and guidance can be of great benefit to your child, as long as you realise that a career choice must truly be a result of what your child desires.
Some pointers
How can you positively affect your child's career choice? It's quite simple. You do this through:
The attitudes and behaviour you reward and punish, approve or disapprove of.
The expectations you have for your children's education and career.
The examples you set for your children.
The influence you exert on who is around them.
The opportunities you offer your children to learn and develop.
The kind of parent-child relationship you develop with them.
You are probably asking yourself at this point, "If that is the case then, what can I do to make sure I have a positive effect on my child's career choice"?
You can ...
1. Strengthen their self-understanding.
2. Encourage your child to get the most education possible.
3. Develop their knowledge about work.
4. Help them become skill-oriented.
5. Teach them to value gender-equity and cultural diversity.
7. Help them become aware of career resources.
8. Teach them decision-making skills.
As you help your child in this essential area, keep your approach light. Ensure that they are presented with career opportunities and information from an early age. Have regular talks with them and be patient in seeing the outcomes.
Remember, we cannot live our children's lives for them. We can only care for them and guide them in the right direction.
Angela deFreitas is general manager of CHOICES Career Advice and publisher of The Career Key (Caribbean Edition) www.choicesonlinejm.com. She can be contacted at info@choicesonlinejm.com.
Rules of style for the workplace
Dressing for work used to be pretty easy - a suit and tie for men, and a skirt suit or pantsuit for women. Then came 'casual Fridays' and 'Hawaiian shirt day.' Today's business-casual workplace would seem to be a world without rules.
Of course, there are rules, they're just more subtle, which makes them even harder to follow. If you think a 'jeans OK' dress code means that no one's judging your appearance, think again. There's a big difference between dark jeans with a belt and faded jeans that hang a little too low. It could mean the difference between being taken seriously and being taken for granted. Here are five rules for making 'business casual' work for you, not against you.
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