Take a look at the jobs that young people are aspiring to.
Have you ever wondered what sorts of careers young people are hoping to have when they enter the workforce? Every year, teachers ask their elementary and middle school students “What do you want to be when you grow up?” And, every year, the most popular careers are Astronaut, Spy, Teacher and an Actor/Artist.
A recent survey by Universum asked college students what company they would love to work for, which is a variation on the what do you want to be when you grow up question. Interestingly enough, the answers were pretty close to being an Astronaut, a Spy, a Teacher or an Actor/Artist.
Here are the 5 of the top companies that young people want to work for:
- Teach for America – This non-profit is part of the Americorps program to strengthen communities. It allows college graduates to get training in education and real, hands on classroom experience. When the members complete the program, many are able to get teaching certifications.
- NASA – Space exploration still has a lot of interest among young people. Although they hire scientists, IT specialists, human resources specialists, accountants, writers and many other types of people, the most popular career choice they offer is Astronaut. According to their website, students who are interested in this career choice should focus on math and sciences.
- Central Intelligence Agency – The CIA offers careers across the globe. They hire scientists, engineers, translators and more. Their Clandestine Service Officers (formerly known as spies) specialize in human intelligence and come from a wide variety of backgrounds, educational histories, and even degrees of foreign language proficiency. Like the military, the CIA often requires their employees to spend a great deal of time overseas. On their website, they say that the CIA is “more than just a job- it's a way of life that challenges the deepest resources of personal intelligence, self-reliance and responsibility.”
- Microsoft – Many aspiring Computer programers and techies want to work in Silicon Valley. Microsoft offers positions for talented programers and provides excellent benefits and support to their employees.
- Federal Bureau of Investigations – The FBI hires field agents and support staff. One of the challenges to becoming a field agent is that all potential employees have to pass a strenuous physical fitness test. Careers as a Linguist, a Special Agent and even as part of a Hostage Rescue Team are all possibilities at the FBI. FBI Special Agents attend a training school in Quantico, VA and before they can be admitted they have to undergo the physical fitness test, meet a vision requirement, have their hearing checked and pass a medical review. The guidelines are tough, but they ensure that FBI Agents are prepared for the dangerous job and represent the best of the best.
These responses weren't all that surprising. But, it's interesting that the more thing change, the more they stay the same.
What do you want to be when you grow up? I would love to hear your thought in the comments.
By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for EducationJobSiteBlog, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.
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