Does high school prepare us well for the job market?

With graduation approaching, I'm starting to wonder how well high school has equipped us for entering the workforce. Are there specific skills or areas where you felt underprepared after leaving high school?

Many students wonder the same thing, and it's a valid concern. Some aspects of high school can indeed prepare you for the job market, while other areas might leave you feeling somewhat lacking.

Let's start with the positives. High school often teaches students valuable transferable skills, like time management, deadline adherence, teamwork, and basic technical proficiency in programs like Microsoft Office Suite - all relevant in a job setting.

On the academic side, courses such as economics, business studies, computer science, or public speaking can cover practical knowledge and skills for certain career fields.

High school is also great for soft skills development. Here we're talking about things like communication, resilience, problem-solving, organization, and control over your learning process, which are all general skills employers highly value.

However, high school curriculum doesn't often provide industry-specific job training, except for vocational technical schools. Most high schools focus on a broad education instead of specific job training, and understandably so, given the diverse interests and aspirations among students.

Additionally, many graduates find they lack experience in more practical skills like financial management, business communication, or industry-specific software programs. Many fields also require an understanding of the latest technology, and not all high schools have the resources to keep their computer labs and tech courses up-to-date.

Essentially, the value of high school in preparing for the job market really depends on what you want to do. Careers such as professional trades, computer tech, and some healthcare roles might be more easily jump-started via a high school curriculum than jobs in more specialized fields, which may require a degree or other post-secondary education.

It's important, however, to remember that learning doesn’t have to stop at high school graduation. There are countless resources available to continue building skills and knowledge relevant to career interests, including online classes, internships, vocational training, and of course, college or university.