Should high schools better prepare students for life in the workforce?

Surveys show that 81% of students feel prepared for college, but only 52% feel prepared to start working after high school. Additionally, an astounding 81% of students said they think that high school curriculums should focus more on helping students develop “real-world skills,” like problem-solving and collaboration, instead of focusing on specific academic subjects.

There are several ways that schools can better help prepare students for both college and the workforce. 

Do high school students feel prepared for college?

The majority of high school students feel prepared for college upon graduation. Going from one place of education to another can feel similar to transitions that have previously occurred, like from middle school to high school. 

Is College Readiness Important?

College readiness allows high school students to feel more confident in making the transition to college. However, college readiness is more than just academic; it’s also social and emotional preparedness.

As far as academic preparedness goes, taking AP classes can help with college readiness. Students who want early college credits and who want to prepare for more challenging classes with heavier workloads can appreciate the opportunity provided by these courses. 

One of the biggest differences between high school and college can be the social aspect. For college students who live on campus, the experience can be much different than that of high school. Students can prepare for this by recognizing they’ll need a level of responsibility and balance when it comes to socializing at college. 

Why High School Students Can Feel Unprepared for College

There are many reasons that high school students may feel unprepared for college, and many have to do with academics.

• Digital Divide / Remote Learning: High school students who were used to in-person learning may feel unprepared for college if their classes are remote or online.

• Lack of Access to Resources: In high school, students might be provided the resources needed to write a paper or complete a project upfront. In college, it can be more challenging to independently track down the resources needed to complete projects.

• Lack of Community to Study With: Students who undergo remote learning may lack a local community of students to study with. Group study sessions may prove extremely helpful in college, especially virtual options and groups utilizing the pomodoro technique together.

• Heavier Course Load: Some students feel unprepared with how heavy the workload is in college. This is dependent on field of study, but there can be more complicated homework and classwork expectations. 

Do high school students feel prepared for the real world?

While a little over half of all high school students do feel prepared for the real world, that leaves almost half that do not feel prepared to enter the workforce. It’s important for high schools to prepare students for both college and the real world. 

Do High Schools Teach Life Skills?

There are no requirements by the Department of Education for teaching life skills that high schools have to follow. However, there are some high schools that do teach these skills, either through specific courses or through their regular curriculum. 

• Collaboration: High schools teach collaboration by assigning group projects where students have to work as a team to get a task done. Collaboration is an important life skill that students are going to need both in college and in the workforce. 

• Time Management: By assigning deadlines and due dates, students are able to learn time management. In the workforce, deadlines are firm and, most of the time, cannot be negotiated. It’s important that students learn the value of time management before entering the workforce. 

• Communication: Between book reports and personal essays, communication is a tool that high school students learn through their regular curriculum. They can take these writing skills that they’ve learned and use them when they need to write an email to their boss or draft a professional letter. 

Are High Schools Preparing Graduates for the Workforce?

High school is not preparing a significant number of graduates for the workforce. There are ways that high schools can start to better prepare their students who choose to go straight into the workforce. 

• Make “Life Skills” Courses Available: High schools can add courses or whole curriculums that are dedicated to learning life skills, like taxes, money management, professional work behavior and attire, the importance of saving money, and similar skills. 

• Simulation Exercises: Provide students with simulated opportunities to solve problems in the workforce. They would be presented with real-world problems that they have to solve. This could be a whole course, an extracurricular activity, or a group project within another relevant course.

• Resume and Cover Letter Practice: Helping students learn to create a professional resume and cover letter can prove valuable when they enter the workforce. For instance, high schools can teach students how to make their resume stand out, best practices for cover letters, and what to include in both versus what to leave out.

Finding a Balance

High schools must adjust to meet the changing needs of our students, and ensure that the majority of graduates are prepared to enter the workforce or to take their next academic step.

Many curriculums are working to find the balance between preparing students for both college and the real world by implementing new courses that focus on life after high school.