life skills
exploring careers
EXPLORING CAREER
POSSIBILITIES
Great opportunity to job shadow and investigate careers BEFORE college
At age 14, Elizabeth Williams was invited
to participate in an Exploring program
for students interested in law after taking
a career interest survey at school. “I was
ecstatic. I wanted to be a lawyer, and this
opportunity would give me the ability to
learn more,” she said. But after attending
a couple of meetings at one of the local
courthouses, sitting through a mock trial,
and learning about the expense and time
required to complete law school, Elizabeth
eventually decided that becoming a lawyer
was not the right career path for her.
Now, 20 years later, Elizabeth is helping students explore their career interests
while also helping them develop character-building skills as part of her role as the
community events coordinator and Exploring advisor for Baptist Health. “I’m so
thankful for the opportunity that the Exploring program gave me. True, I didn’t
become a lawyer, but I’m still very thankful for the experience. Had I not figured out
that wasn’t the route for me to take, imagine the money, time and resources I would
have wasted pursuing a career that just was not for me,” she said.
“
If students pursue a
career that they are
passionate about, they will
be more successful. They
will love going to work
each day because they
will have a passion for
what they are doing.
”
- Elizabeth Williams
WHAT IS EXPLORING?
Exploring is a worksite-based program that is part of Learning for Life’s career
education program and a division of the Boy Scouts of America. It’s designed to
give students the ability to explore career opportunities, made possible through
partnerships with businesses, organizations and state, local and federal agencies
nationwide.
HOW DOES EXPLORING WORK?
Baptist Health offers a Health Exploring program for students ages 14-20 who are
interested in careers in the healthcare field. Participants can learn about various
career fields through discussions, guest speakers, projects, tours and shadowing
opportunities. The program also offers character-building opportunities such as
mentoring, community service activities and leadership experiences. Exploring
meetings are hosted monthly in Montgomery and Prattville for the duration of the
school year. For more information, contact Elizabeth Williams at 334.273.4506 or
[email protected] or find a local program near you at
EXPLORING.LEARNINGFORLIFE.ORG
16
www.potentialmagazine.com
Elizabeth Williams works at Baptist Health as the
Community Events Coordinator and also helps high
school students interested in the healthcare field. She is
a member of EmergeMontgomery and was chosen for
the Torchbearers Class 3.
BONUS
Career exp :
scholarship lor ing
s for colleg
e
are availab
le too!