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| Some students may wish to consider
an additional year of secondary school prior to attending college.
A list of preparatory schools offering post-graduate (PG) options
is available in the College/Career Center. Typically, students who
consider this option do so to improve their study skills or their
academic record in a structured environment with small classes in
order to increase college options. In addition, preparatory school
is sometimes suggested for athletes by college coaches. Often students
will consider a PG year at a preparatory school while simultaneously
applying to colleges during the fall of the senior year. Decisions
and deposits are not required until May 1 in most cases. |
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| Many students are not yet ready or
prefer not to go directly to college or to some other degree-granting
educational programs immediately after completing high school. While
some of these students may choose a year at a prep school, join the
military, or work full time before enrolling at a college, many others
seek some other alternatives for a single transition year, such as
a travel adventure or an internship experience. In a process called
deferred admissions, students can apply to college in the fall of
the senior year and in the spring ask permission of the college they
wish to attend to defer admission for one year. In some cases admission
can also be deferred until the following January. In other words,
students wanting to pursue this option can maintain acceptance to
a college but not begin until a year or six months later. A student
and a family who are considering this option should discuss the idea
with the student’s guidance counselor. |
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| These programs are usually available
at privately owned schools. Regional vocational technical schools
such as Minuteman Regional High School and community colleges such
as Middlesex also offer many such programs. The training provided
is practical and prepares students for employment in specific fields.
Students can be trained in secretarial skills, computer programming,
electronics, auto repair, cosmetology, drafting, health occupations,
and travel and tourism. Job placement services are usually available
upon completion of a program. The length of a program varies from
several weeks to several years. Costs can also vary depending upon
the length and quality of training. |
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| An apprenticeship is a formal way
of learning a skill or trade by workingwith someone who works at that
particular job. Apprenticeship programsalmost always include class
study along with a full-time job. Apprenticeships usually cover periods
of time specified by the government or labor unions. Time spent in
an apprenticeship depends on the difficulty of the skill to be learned.
While most programs are between three and four years, a few can be
as short as two years or as long as five or six years. One advantage
of an apprenticeship is that rather than paying for the training him/herself,
the apprentice is being paid while learning a skill. The number of
apprenticeship openings is limited and not all qualified applicants
can enter such programs. Tests and personal interviews are often required.
Occupations with apprenticeship training include carpentry, plumbing,
etc. |
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| Branches of the military offer training
in almost 1500 different occupations. Many of these are similar to
occupations found in civilian life. The training varies a great deal
in length of time and may include classroom study, on-the-job training,
or both. Enlistees are paid while they receive their training. The
military prepares persons for a variety of jobs including aircraft
mechanic, heavy equipment operator, computer or electronics technician,
meteorologist, fire fighter, and welder. |
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| This is a way of continuing education
if the student cannot or does not wish to attend formal classes. Many
correspondence courses help an individual learn a specialized skill.
The student is usually required to pass tests before receiving credit.
Cost is not high and students can work full time while studying in
their spare time. Jobs are as diverse as accountant, radio/TV repairer,
locksmith, robotics technician, gem identification, appliance repair,
and legal assistant. |
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| A student planning to work might consider
the following steps. |
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Visit the Career Center, Room 152.
It has information on hundreds of different occupations. |
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Check the job openings posted in the
Career Center. Each spring a number of local employers offering full-time,
permanent positions call the school seeking students to fill those
positions. |
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Visit an office of the Department
of Employment Training (DET). The primary function of this state agency
is to help you find employment. |
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Seek out companies and businesses
that offer on-the-job training (OJT) programs to new employees. OJT
can help a person gain the skills to succeed in certain jobs and also
to advance later on. |
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to Guidance Home Page |
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