See Yourself to Be Yourself: The Value of Career Education

When I tell people I had my first PR agency internship when I was 17, the reaction is almost always “wait, really?” 

Yes, really! My senior year of high school, I completed an internship at our PRGN Florida affiliate, The Moore Agency. As much as I’d like to attribute this to being some sort of child prodigy or public relations savant, it’s much simpler than that. Two words: career education.  

My high school had a program where students could, rather than taking elective classes, leave school for the last two periods and go to an internship at a real workplace instead. As a young person about to enter college and decide their future career, this was invaluable to me. The pathway and education opportunities available to me made it so that I was able to gain real-world experience in my field before ever stepping foot in a college class.  

At the end of my internship, I was hired as a part-time account coordinator at Moore, where I worked all throughout undergrad. I graduated this May with 5 years of agency experience and steady confidence in myself, my abilities, and how my future may unfold.  

Discovering career possibilities is a lifelong process. Organizations that foster curiosity today reap the benefits of fresh and energized industry talent for years to come.  

Sparking Interest in Students 

Recruiting next-generation talent is something that often comes up in discussions with clients, particularly in the manufacturing and healthcare industries, where the need for skilled workers doesn’t always match the pool of interest. So, how can we get people interested?  

Well first, you can’t be what you can’t see! Many young people only aim for jobs they encounter in everyday life or on television. Introducing careers in secondary education blows open the so-called “perception ceiling,” exposing students to industries they didn’t even know existed. Making career pathways accessible brings in talent that you might otherwise be missing out on. Structured early pathways help level the playing field for students who don’t yet have personal connections in your industry.  

So, let’s get young people in the door. Oftentimes, this looks like intentional programming and strategic partnerships that connect school topics to real careers. You probably won’t meet a middle school student who specifically dreams of being a manufacturing engineer, but you might meet one who’s interested in STEM and robotics. Here is the opportunity to bridge the gap between concept and career. Whether it’s a facility tour, meet-and-greet, or sponsored event, connecting with students boosts an organization’s visibility and plants seeds for future success.  

There is immense value in offering internship, shadowing, and apprenticeship opportunities to students of all ages. Like I mentioned, completing an internship while still in high school gave me perspective on what my career path could look like. By letting young people test drive potential careers, you allow them to discover new opportunities to excel. 

As daunting as it may be to think of assigning work to a 17-year-old, career pathways can be a symbiotic relationship. Organizations who connect with students create a direct line of influence for talent.  

So, as a product of this pipeline, I can confirm the value of career pathways. I urge employers and professionals everywhere to open doors for curious young people. The best employee your company may ever see, today, is probably taking a career aptitude quiz in 9th-grade homeroom.