RADIO TRANSCRIPT
Date: May 4, 2020
Agent: Nicki Carpenter

Hello, this is Nicki Carpenter 4-H Youth Development Extension Agent with North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Burke Center.

Is sixth grade too early to start thinking about career choices? Most counseling specialist think this is the best time for a child to begin thinking about a future career. Too many children of this age are not encouraged to think about career goals and as a result, they lose a sense of purpose in school and they may drop out. Even among college freshmen, too many enter as non-preference students, which means they have not given adequate thought in earlier years to their preferred future careers.

Obviously the sixth grade is too early for most children to make a definitive decision about a career choice. But a sixth grader who has thought about various career alternatives will perceive new relevance and importance in their school subjects.
So how can you help? Talk about your own job. Children are naturally curious about the world of work. Ask other people about their work. Make visits, use films, slides and research. Thoughtful planning. Too many people end up making career choices by accident.

While no one expects a sixth grader to decide on a specific job, every child deserves to have time to explore various options. The final decision, which will come much later, will be a choice backed by thoughtful planning.

Thank you. This has been Nicki Carpenter with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension, Burke Center. For more information, you can contact our office at 828-764-9480.