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Career Exploration

High School Jobs

If you are looking for a job while in high school check out the Career Development Center Job Board (across from the vending machines) or these resources:

Boulder County Workforce Youth Services – A thorough resource for all your employment and career needs, including searches, resumes, interviewing and job/career fairs

Boulder County Youth Corps – Paid Summer program working on parks and trails

Juniors and Seniors are eligible to earn a .5 elective credit for working during the fall and spring semester each academic year.  If you would like more informaton about the Work Study Progam and the application process, visit with the SVOGA Counselor.

 

Volunteering and Service Work

Students sometimes think of community service only as a resumé builder- something they have to do to get into the college of their dreams, but not something that they necessarily want to do. The truth is that volunteering is often an extremely rewarding experience. Many studies show that people who volunteer are happier than those who don’t volunteer.

There are so many reasons to volunteer. Here are a few of our favorite reasons from the folks at VolunteerMatch:

  • Help others
  • Make a difference
  • Find purpose
  • Enjoy a meaningful conversation
  • Connect with your community
  • Contribute to a cause that you care about
  • Use your skills in a productive way
  • Meet new people
  • Explore new areas of interest
  • Impress your mom
  • Impress yourself
  • Get out of the house
  • Make new friends
  • Feel better about yourself

Here are some resources for finding volunteer experiences in our area:

 

Internships

 

Search for a Job

Matching My Career to My LifestyleVideo

Local Job Banks:

National Job Banks:

Some more great resources!

 

College Alternatives

Many students choose to take a Gap Year between high school and college, but what does a Gap Year really mean and how do colleges view them?  

Loosely defined, a Gap-Year is a time period taken off between high school and college meant to explore a career path through interning or work,  to study and learn in a new environment or abroad, or to volunteer with a service organization at home or abroad.  It is highly recommended that students who are considering a Gap Year should follow the normal college application process during their senior year and, once accepted, work with each individual college or university to apply for a deferred enrollment.  NACAC, the National Association for College Admissions Counseling, offers a starting point for researching Gap Years. Click here for more information.  As with any type of “program”, there is a myriad of choices, from for-profit travel groups to government and non-profit service programs, to paid consultants and sites to help you design your own Gap Year.

Non-Profit and Government-based programs:

Americorps (includes Americorps, Vistacorps, and FEMA Corps)

City Year

CIEE

United Planet

American Gap Association

Student Conservation Organization

For-Profit resources:

Gap Year Fairs

GapYear.com

Teenlife

Center for Interim Programs

Universities with Gap Year Deferral programs or their own Gap Year programs

 

Military Service

General Enlistment and Recruiting – Military recruiters work with St. Vrain Online Global Academy students and staff to verify graduation is completed in time for scheduled enlistment.

For more information on recruitment  and careers in the military, go to Today’s Military

ROTC – stands for Reserve Officer Training Corps. It’s a college program offered at more than 1,000 colleges and universities across the United States that prepare young adults to become officers in the U.S. Military. In exchange for a paid college education and a guaranteed post-college career, cadets commit to serving in the Military after graduation. Click here for more information on opportunities in ROTC programs.

U.S. Service Academies – Service Academies, Senior Military Colleges, and Maritime Academies offer world-class education and a deeper understanding of military culture. Plus, most of these schools grant scholarship money in exchange for a period of service. Click here for more information on Military Service Academies. For information about receiving required Congressional nominations, see these links:

Congressman Jared Polis’ Academies website

Congressman Ken Buck’s Academies website

Senator Michael Bennet’s Academies website

Senator Corey Gardner’s Academies website

ASVAB – The ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) is one of the most widely used, multiple aptitude tests in the world, developed and maintained by the Department of Defense. More than half of all high schools nationwide administer the ASVAB test to students in grades 10, 11 and 12 (sophomores cannot use their scores for enlistment eligibility). Students may also take the test at another school or through a recruiter and may retake the test at any time. The ASVAB is administered each spring at the SVVSD Career Development Center (CDC). Click here for more information on the ASVAB, including study resources.

 

Job Corps

Job Corps is a free education and training program that helps young people learn a career, earn a high school diploma or GED, and find and keep a good job. For eligible young people at least 16 years of age that qualify as low income, Job Corps provides the all-around skills needed to succeed in a career and in life.  For more information, visit jobcorps.gov.  Source: http://www.jobcorps.gov/home.aspx

 

The links provided above are based on information created by other public and private organizations. St. Vrain Online Global Academy does not control or guarantee the accuracy or completeness of this information.  These links are provided for the user’s convenience, and the inclusion of these links is not intended to endorse products or services offered, or views expressed, on these websites.