Career Exploration & Discovery through 4-H
Whether you know exactly what you want to do or have not yet decided, 4-H encourages you to explore a variety of careers, create a resume, and learn about resources in a field of interest. These resources can be organizations or associations related to your interests. For example, if you’re interested in a career as a Veterinarian, you might want to check out the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association). There, you can find a tab dedicated to careers and opportunities for aspiring veterinarians, like their Vet Set Go course.
For other options in the area of animal science, visit this Rutgers site, and check out the additional resources at the bottom of the page.
Career Discovery is also a great topic for a 4-H club meeting! You can take time during your virtual meeting to share with your peers about your dream career and SMART goals you plan to accomplish. Use the model below as a guide towards discovering your future career.
Club Leaders can find resources to teach about career discovery on the National 4-H Website. Activities 1 – 7 offer free downloadable articles that include Resume Writing, Action Verbs, a Business Handshake, and a Winning Interview. Though there is a curriculum that you can purchase, check in with your county 4-H office first, for they might have the curriculum already.
By Amelia Valente, 4-H Program Associate of Ocean County, Rutgers Cooperative Extension