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