Career Exploration for High School Students at Kairos
How a trip to the Carpenters Training Center turned big questions into a plan.
What career could you see yourself in? Does it require college? Specialty classes? An apprenticeship? What does it actually pay?
Most high schoolers are still working out the answers, and that's okay. At Kairos Academies, we believe the best way to answer those questions is to leave the classroom and go find out. Career exploration for high school students works best when it's hands-on, personal, and connected to a real plan.
That's why our Next Prep team recently took high school students to the Mid-America Carpenters Apprenticeship Training Center in Afton.
A Firsthand Look at the Building Trades
Students walked through stations set up for the full range of work union carpenters do: making furniture, framing walls, building roofs, laying flooring, working in a hospital setting, and even constructing mass timber skyscrapers. They met working professionals, asked questions about real experiences, and saw how the carpenters union trains new apprentices to enter the field.
For Kairos senior Ismael, who is exploring the building trades after graduation, the trip was a chance to see whether the path fit. "I'm thinking about building trades after high school and I was interested in the Carpenters," he said. "After graduation, I'm thinking of going back to sign up for training."
What Students Learn About Pay and Benefits
A great career is about more than the work itself. It also has to support the life you want. During the visit, students learned about pay, healthcare, and retirement benefits, the details they'll need to understand as working professionals.
Ismael noticed. "The starting salary was like $21 an hour just during training. That's a lot of money just to start," he said. "I also liked that they earn raises every year."
Learning how compensation and benefits work early helps students set realistic goals for their income, their education, and their future.
Why Career Exploration for High School Students Matters
Ismael was honest about how much he took in: "Half of the stuff they were talking about was new to me. It's good to learn these things so whenever I do get into the field, I know what's in front of me and know what might be coming next."
That's the value of exploring early. Students who see a career up close can ask better questions, spot what excites them, and notice what they want to learn more about. For Ismael, that meant safety. "The stories about injuries got my attention because I don't want to get injured. I want to know more about the safety protections, things like headgear and eye protection." It also meant technology. "There were a whole bunch of machines in there that I was really drawn to, like the planer and CNC machine. I'd like to go back to learn how it all works."
None of these questions can be answered with a worksheet, and all of them are useful when a student is deciding what comes after graduation.
Personalized Guidance From a Mentor Who Knows Your Goals
At Kairos, students don't explore alone. Every student works with a mentor who understands their goals and interests and helps connect them to opportunities that fit. Ismael's trip started with that kind of support.
"Ms. Kamryn let me know about this trip and showed me the skills it took to enter the field," he said. "I had seen the carpenters trip on our list and said I was interested. She made sure I was able to go."
That's how curiosity becomes a plan. A student mentions an interest, a mentor helps them find a real experience, and the experience leads to new questions, new goals, and next steps. Ismael's takeaway? "Honestly, I just want to go back again. Like, it was fun."
Graduate Ready
Life, college, and career readiness at Kairos means more than earning a diploma. It means graduating with a clear understanding of your options, the steps to reach your goals, and the confidence to take them.
If you have a student who's starting to wonder what their future could look like, we'd love to help them find out.
Applications open October 1st. Sit down with your family this week and apply early to Kairos.
