Improving job skills as a high school student

I want to develop my job skills while still in high school. What skills should I prioritize, and how can I improve them? Are there workshops, online courses, or volunteer opportunities that can help?

The specific skills you prioritize should be guided by your career interests, but there are several broad categories of skills that are beneficial in many professional settings. These include soft skills such as communication, organization, problem-solving, leadership, and collaboration. Also, consider enhancing technical skills related to your desired career path. For instance, if you're interested in a tech career, proficiency in coding languages could be beneficial.

Here are ways to further develop these skills:

1. Engaging in extracurricular activities like debate clubs, student government, and sports can improve your soft skills. For instance, joining the debate club can be an excellent way to enhance your communication and critical thinking skills. Participating in student government could enhance your leadership and organizational skills.

2. Volunteer opportunities are great ways to develop job skills as well. Non-profits often have needs in various professional areas, from event planning to social media management and beyond. These opportunities can enhance skills you might not get otherwise, and they provide an element of real-world application that's helpful.

3. If you're interested in building technical skills, free or low-cost online platforms offer introductory courses in areas like coding, digital marketing, graphic design, etc. Codecademy, Khan Academy, and Coursera have programming courses. Many of these platforms offer 'learning paths' to guide you in developing a skill set in a specific area.

4. Finally, internships or part-time jobs aligned with your career aspirations can provide an invaluable hands-on learning experience. Reach out to local businesses or search online platforms for high school internships in your fields of interest.

Remember, the goal is to continually learn and grow, so even if you're starting small on these skills, keep at it, and over time you'll see progress. Make sure to document your experiences and skills in a resume as they can be valuable for college applications and future job opportunities.