“Students first choose a cluster,” says Terry Brock,
“not a particular occupational goal. In the eighth
grade a student might choose Health Science and
then later become interested in a narrower field such
as surgery or radiology technology.”
The program of study you choose—your plan—
does not stop with graduation from high school,
Brock emphasizes. “A student could then pursue a
two-year degree as an x-ray technician or a four-year
research Your Career Options
degree as a radiologist.”
Once you’ve learned about yourself, learn more
You should set up a TAP that takes you through
about your career options. There are thousands
career preparation after high school, revising your
of occupations out there of which you may never
blueprint as needed as you go along. If your career
have heard, and others that do not yet exist
plans include college study, ask your counselor
because the technologies have not been developed.
about tests required for admission to college,
Fortunately, there are plenty of resources (see inside
such as the PSAT, SAT, or ACT.
back cover) for you, and they are as close as the
nearest computer.
seek Out special Programs
One of the most helpful is the Occupation and
Many Texas schools offer innovative programs
Skill Computer-Assisted Researcher (or OSCAR, for
to prepare students for specific career areas. Business,
short) from the Texas Workforce Commission.
These include career and technical education
Management &
It is a vast database of information about hundreds
(CTE) programs, academies, and magnet schools.
of professions. You can find OSCAR at www.ioscar.
Once you’ve decided on a career direction, ask
Administration
org/tx. Another good place to start is O*NET (online.
your counselor about special programs in your
cTsos
onetcenter.org).
area that may provide related experiences in your
Gather information about what you
chosen career.
one of the best ways to acquire
can earn in the careers in which you are
Samuel Odamah, an undergraduate student
out-of-class experience in
interested. Find out whether the careers
in architecture enrolled at the University of
your chosen career is by
you are considering have a promising
Texas at Arlington, found his career calling at
joining a career and technical
future—are they adding or losing
Dallas’s Skyline Career Development Center,
student organization (cTso).
jobs? Check out the education you’ll
a high school with career programs in a number
In Business, management &
need to enter those careers.
of different fields.
administration, the most helpful
The chart on pages 10–11
“Skyline is one of the few schools in the country
cTsos are:
presents data on 25 possible
that offer programs in architecture,” Odamah says.
professions. Remember, though,
“In some careers, Skyline students could even • Business Professionals
that these are just a sampling of
get professional certifications or licenses right in
of America (BPA)
careers available in the cluster. Go to
high school. It was a great place because you
www.texasbpa.com
OSCAR, O*NET, or another resource
could find out whether you really wanted to enter
• DECA, Texas Association
to investigate other careers.
a career.” www.texasdeca.org
Odamah says that the career cluster system at
Create Your TAP
Skyline taught him the value of planning for his
• Future Business Leaders
of America (FBLA)
Once you have a better idea of your interests
career and his life. “We learned about planning
www.txfbla.org
and abilities, you are ready to plan for high
ahead,” he says. “Those who plan things ahead of
school and beyond. The Texas Achievement
time don’t have to catch up. It’s just a matter of what
Plan, or TAP, is your plan for preparing for the
a person wants out of life. Planning gives you a
career of your choice.
better platform for success.”
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