Post Secondary Planning for Your Kids’ Future
When a baby arrives, one of the first things that many moms do is start an education savings fund. We’ve all heard how important higher education is, and we’ve also heard how expensive university tuition has become. We don’t want our kids to miss out, so we do everything we can to make sure there is money available for post secondary education when they graduate from high school. But what if university isn’t the best bet for your kids? What if they want to do something else? WorkBC.ca’s online labour market tools could help you and your kids come to your own conclusions. With the trades and technical sectors booming here in BC, you may want to help your kids investigate their options in those fields. As a parent, you are your children’s best career advisor, and part of being a good advisor is to help them choose the right post-secondary education option.
Exploring Post Secondary Options
WorkBC.ca is a great resource that can help you and your kids learn more about careers and industries in BC. Their article Getting the Right Education outlines post-secondary and apprenticeship options. The site can also help you decide how you’re going to finance your child’s education. While a university degree typically takes four years (or longer), trade schools like BCIT offer a number of programs that take only one or two years. While tuition can be expensive, there are innovative work-study options, including industry placements and cooperative education, that can help your kids get hands-on skills while offseting their education costs.
Apprenticeship programs combine on-the-job training with technical training. And while most programs take about four years to complete, about 85% of that time is spent working in paid positions. It’s a highly practical and hands-on form of training. In the 2012 BC Apprenticeship Student Outcomes Survey, 94% of those who responded said the knowledge and skills they gained through their training was useful in performing their trade.
Talking Trades
The trades are among the hottest careers in BC. Tradespeople enjoy a fairly high degree of job stability, and are typically paid very well. So if you think a career in the trades might be the perfect fit for your child, it’s worth discussing the option with them. However, if your child just isn’t interested in the trades, there are still lots of other post secondary education options available. To explore more career and educational options here in BC, use WorkBC’s Career Trek tool or Labour Market Navigator, and help your kids find their fit.
This article was sponsored by WorkBC.ca. Whether you’re looking for labour market information for your child’s future, job search tips for yourself or just want to browse opportunities throughout BC – WorkBC.ca is where to start. We know – you’re on the go, not to worry! WorkBC’s online tools such as Job Search, Labour Market Navigator, and Career Trek can be viewed on tablet, mobile and virtually everything in between. With one million job openings expected by 2020 now is the time to think about your and your kids’ future. Visit WorkBC.ca one of B.C.’s most powerful job search tools. WorkBC.ca is your one stop shop for all things labour market related in B.C.
