Quad Cities area students appear most interested in jobs involving the arts, communications and health services, based on data collected by Career Cruising Quad Cities, a program run through Junior Achievement that connects students and educators with area employers.
The web-based program allows students to explore different careers in multiple areas that have been posted by area businesses and industries to see what those jobs entail, how much they might earn on that career path and how much education and training they need for those jobs.
Kirk Marske, director of Career Cruising Quad Cities, said more than 50 schools representing students in 6th to 12th grade participate. It is data derived from their searches and bookmarks that revealed the Top 25 jobs area students are interested in.
In order, they are:
- Video Game Developer
- Artist
- Actor
- Veterinarian
- Nurse
- Child and Youth Worker
- Doctor
- Psychologist
- Fashion Designer
- Singer
- Animator
- Athletic Trainer
- Elementary School Teacher
- Physical Therapist
- Lawyer
- Photographer
- Personal Trainer
- Pediatrician
- Coach
- Police Officer
- Musician
- Animal Trainer
- Early Childhood Educator
- Federal Agent
- Computer Animator
Marske acknowledged that despite more emphasis being placed on so-called STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) career development, few of the Top 25 fall into that category. He pointed out that the data is derived from kids ranging in age from 11 or so to 18, and that younger kids typically don’t gravitate toward STEM careers as much as their older colleagues.
“If we broke down the list by age or gender, I think you’d see kids in high school tend to be more serious about STEM careers compared to younger students,” Marske said.
Collecting this type of data is also helpful to area businesses of any size, Marske said.
“Our program is a connecting point between schools and employers,” he said. “It doesn’t just help students explore careers, it helps the business community develop their future workforce. They can sign up for the program to raise awareness about their job opportunities and work places at a time when students are making decisions about their futures.”
There is no cost to businesses to participate in Career Cruising Quad Cities. Registration and more information about the program is available here.
