Career Exploration Starts Earlier Than We Think

by Tami Silverman, President & CEO of Indiana Youth Institute 

Ask an elementary school student what they want to be when they grow up, and you may get a different answer every week. Veterinarian. Firefighter. Teacher. YouTuber. Nurse. Professional athlete. Or something we have never heard of. That is exactly as it should be.  

Career exploration for young children is not about choosing a profession. It is about expanding their sense of what is possible. Children can notice what interests them, identify their strengths, learn about the many kinds of work people do, and begin making connections between what they enjoy and the world around them.  

Those early experiences matter because young people start forming ideas about their futures well before they have to make decisions about them. By middle school, they may already be developing a sense of which careers seem interesting, realistic, or available to them.  

A 2025 systematic review of 21 studies gives us a better understanding of what good career exploration can accomplish during these years. The programs varied, from workshops and career curricula to group counseling and online activities. Researchers found positive results in areas such as career exploration, confidence, adaptability, and decision-making, while noting that more research is needed to understand the long-term outcomes.  

None of this means we should ask a seventh grader to map out a career. Young people should be presented with more opportunities to explore. A workplace visit can do that. So can meeting someone with an interesting job, trying something new in an afterschool program, or having an adult notice a strength and ask, “Have you ever thought about where that could take you?”  

Families play an especially important role. The Indiana Commission for Higher Education found that 72% of Indiana high school students say their parents are extremely or very influential in determining what they will do after high school. Around 80% of Indiana high school students and parents also believe education beyond high school is worth the investment. Yet many students and families remain unaware of available financial aid and education resources, highlighting the need for accurate information and trusted guidance.  

Schools are essential partners in this work, but they cannot carry the responsibility alone. Coaches, mentors, afterschool staff, summer program leaders, and other youth-serving professionals help young people discover strengths, explore interests, and connect those experiences to future opportunities. These trusted relationships can also help families navigate options and strengthen connections among schools, employers, and post-secondary institutions. Research points to positive outcomes from this kind of coordination across the people and organizations already influencing young people’s development, learning, and future plans.  

None of this has to begin with a formal career program. Families and youth-serving professionals can make career exploration part of everyday life. A few practical ways to start:  

• Talk about work. Everyday conversations matter. Tell young people what you do, what you enjoy about your work, what can be difficult, and how you got there. Talk about the jobs you see in your community and the people who do them.  

• Ask questions. What does a young person enjoy? What are they curious about? What problems would they like to solve? Adults do not need to have all the answers. Being curious alongside a young person helps build career exploration as a regular practice.  

• Expand their view. Introduce young people to careers, workplaces, and professionals they might not encounter otherwise. Exposure can help young people discover possibilities they did not know existed.  

• Connect the dots. Art, sports, gaming, science, volunteering, and other interests can lead to conversations about a wide variety of careers. Help young people notice the skills they are developing along the way. 

• Give families good information early. Families have tremendous influence, but navigating education and career options can be complicated. Share accurate information about college, credentials, apprenticeships, financial aid, and costs long before major decisions need to be made.  

• Work together. Families, schools, youth-serving organizations, employers, and postsecondary institutions each bring something important. Young people are better served when those efforts connect.  

At Indiana Youth Institute, we believe communities are strongest when families, schools, employers, postsecondary institutions, and youth-serving organizations work together to expand opportunities for young people. This September, our 2026 College & Career Readiness Innovation Challenge will bring youth-serving professionals and community partners together in South Bend, Indianapolis, and Evansville to develop practical solutions to local college and career readiness challenges. 

Learn more and register for the College & Career Readiness Innovation Challenge 

No single person or institution can prepare a young person for everything the future holds. But through the connections that families, schools, and youth-serving organizations build for them, our kids can see more paths for what’s possible. 

###