On November 15 and 16, the University will be hosting a career fair for middle school students in the area. The objective of the fair is to introduce students to different post-secondary and career options. While these programs are fairly common and do have certain advantages, overall, they are not necessarily a good thing, especially for middle school students.
Career fairs are an avenue to introduce students to different career and academic options beyond the often “traditional” options such as medicine, law and engineering. Being a more technologically advanced and continuously changing nation requires different skill sets than our parents’ generation, thus, spurring the development of new types of career opportunities. Career fairs allow students to be introduced to these growing branches in already established fields like engineering.
More importantly, the fairs force students to think about the future and what kind of careers they want to pursue. The U.S. Department of Education recommends that students start thinking and planning about their post-secondary education and career plans beginning in sixth grade. Such planning allows students to develop the appropriate skills in middle and high school to succeed in their post-secondary pursuits. They may even be motivated to volunteer in a field of interest as exposed to in a career fair, and determine whether or not they might enjoy the job. Furthermore, if for example, a student wants to become a scientist, then he should take more science courses in high school to expand his interest and knowledge base in the field.
Yet despite the general benefits of career fairs, I cannot advocate them at the middle school level. The fact that career fairs encourage students to start planning for the future is actually one of my main qualms with them. Middle school students range from 11-14 years of age; at that age, they should not have to think about their futures already. Why is it unacceptable for them to enjoy their youth while they can with minimal stress rather than having to start worrying and planning their future already?
Youth today are already quite stressed and under extreme pressure as it is. According to a report published by the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, high school students feeling significant pressure about grades has increased from 26 percent in 2001 to 45 percent in 2008. In addition, there has been an increase from 62 percent to 79 percent over the same timespan in the number of students who claimed that they have faced problems as a result of grade pressure in their lives. There has been indication of increased stress and anxiety among elementary school students. It is nearly a universal claim that students today of all ages are more stressed and under greater academic pressure than in the past. Forcing kids to be career-driven so early on denies them the opportunity to have a life outside of the academic sphere, one without the constant need to succeed.
Furthermore, students are already pressured in high school, especially during the college admission season, to figure out their life plans, so discouraging career fairs at the middle school level will not ruin a student’s future. Career fairs in high school still give them plenty of time to decide what they want to do with their futures. Moreover, it is not wrong for those attending college to begin as undecided. What’s more, not everyone wants to attend college. In fact, the exploration of different subjects and opportunities is part of the point of college. For example, here at the University, majors must be declared by the end of one’s second year, which allows students to have sufficient time to browse and find their areas of interest.
Part of growing up is figuring out our future. But, there is no need to rush the process. In our determination to succeed and always be at the top, we become blind to simply being young.
Fariha Kabir’s column appears Wednesdays in The Cavalier Daily. She can be reached at f.kabir@cavalierdaily.com.
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