By: Tina Leslie, Career and Technical Education Coordinator 

When I began my career 16 years ago, I taught a course to middle school students called Career Research and Decision Making. This course allowed students to explore careers, take  surveys to understand what interested them, and plan for their futures. One of my go-to questions during my initial calls with students was, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

The answers I received were often predictable: veterinarian, doctor, professional athlete, singer, or, increasingly popular today, influencer. These careers share one thing - they are familiar to students. Their reasoning was equally straightforward: “I love animals,” “I love helping people,” or “I enjoy playing basketball.” While these are great career choices, I realized I was asking the wrong question.

Instead of asking, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I should have asked:

• What problems do you want to solve?
• What are you passionate about?
• What are your strengths, and how can they translate into a career?

By shifting the focus, we can inspire students to think beyond the obvious and discover a broader range of career possibilities.

Introducing Careers to Younger Students

1. Start Early with Elementary Students

In elementary school, students should understand what a career is and why people work. Educators can help them identify their strengths and interests through simple, relatable activities like assigning “classroom jobs” or household responsibilities. For example, if a child dreams of being a veterinarian, they can take responsibility for feeding and caring for a family pet.

Expose them to different careers through:

• Guest speakers and field trips.
• Career fairs, even those designed for older students.
• Community engagement opportunities to meet professionals in various fields.

The goal is to help students recognize their skills, interests, and potential career paths in a fun and exploratory way.

2. Transitioning to Middle School

As students progress to middle school, educators can have them:

• Take interest inventory exams that assess their strengths and interests to help guide decisions about education and careers.
• Research career clusters, which help organize CTE related curriculum, programs, activities, and instruction for schools and districts. They also represent career pathways to help students discover what career or major in college they’re most interested in. 
• Set long-term goals and explore high school and post-secondary options.

This is also a great time to help them understand how they learn best. For instance, a kinesthetic learner might thrive in careers requiring physical activity or hands-on work. Focus on building soft skills such as teamwork, communication, goal setting, and adaptability, which are qualities that employers value.

3. Preparing High School Students for the Future

By starting career exploration early, students will gain the preparation and confidence to make informed decisions. This “fail fast” approach allows them to explore a wide range of careers and rule out those that don’t align with their interests or strengths. For example, a student who dreams of becoming a nurse might discover through a guest speaker or field trip that they are uncomfortable around blood. Learning this early can save time and effort later.

By the time students reach high school, they should have a clear plan that aligns with their goals. This might include:

• Selecting relevant courses, certifications, and electives.
• Joining clubs and extracurricular activities.
• Pursuing internships, volunteer opportunities, or part-time jobs related to their interests.

How FlexPoint Supports Career Exploration

It is our priority to show and highlight diverse career paths to students from an early age. Our elementary digital courses incorporate:

• Dramatic play, books, field trips, and guest speakers.
• A holistic curriculum that integrates career and technical education through creative activities, such as using art to teach science or math games set to music.
• Emphasis on soft skills like communication, leadership, and critical thinking.
• A focus on growth mindset and grit, encouraging students to learn from mistakes and embrace the power of “yet.”

In our Elementary Art 5 course, students explore careers ranging from a web designer and architect to an entertainer, demonstrating how art can shape diverse futures. By middle school, students dive into career clusters, interest inventories, and research projects. High school students build on this foundation with career and technical student organizations, career clusters, and industry certifications.

Inspiring the Next Generation

Every student will have a job someday, but no two paths are the same. By shifting the focus from, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” to “What problems do you want to solve?” educators can encourage students to connect their passions and strengths with meaningful career opportunities. Together, we can prepare them to enter the workforce with confidence, purpose, and the skills needed to thrive.

Check out our Career and Technical Education and Elementary and Middle School courses by learning more about our curriculum. 

About the Author: Tina Leslie is the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Coordinator for FlexPoint, who has more than 20 years of experience as a teacher and curriculum specialist. Her deep passion for CTE drives her mission to inspire students to discover their strengths, explore diverse career paths, and prepare for successful futures.