HAP is working with the Pennsylvania Association of School Counselors to inform school counselors of the opportunities available to students entering health care careers. The article below appeared in the association's June 2001 newsletter.

Students Eager for More Workplace Experiences

Guidance counselors and students interested in entering the field of health care can benefit from the results of focus group research recently conducted by The Hospital & Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP). The informal research, made up of young people ages 14-18 in urban, suburban and rural south central Pennsylvania, focused on how students approached their choice of a career, their use of the Internet as a source of information about careers, and their attitudes toward health care professionals.

The research was conducted as part of an overall effort to assist hospitals and health systems in building partnerships with guidance counselors, young people and parents so that students can become aware of the variety of career opportunities available in the health care industry.

The career choices made by today’s young people are significant because of a gradual, yet dramatic, decrease in the working population. By 2020, as Baby Boomers age and enter their retirement years, students currently enrolled in high school will be part of a workforce that is expected to shrink from today’s 78 million to approximately 48 million. Obviously, with such a huge reduction in the workforce, employers in manufacturing, technology, industry and health care will be competing against one another to hire the best and the brightest. At that time, today’s students will be reaching a point in their chosen careers when they have the potential to be placed in management positions, earning the group title as the “Impact Generation.”

During the focus group discussions, students often admitted they do not have a clear grasp of the educational requirements for a selected field or the variety of opportunities available to them. However they stated overwhelming that they were attracted to careers where they could use their education, experience and skills to “help people in pain or suffering.” Most of the participants’ responses regarding career choices were based on personal opinions, experiences or discussions with family members or trusted mentors. Teachers or coaches also were mentioned. Guidance counselors were seen as helpful, but more as an information source than someone who would direct a student to a particular career.

Technology played a minor role in helping students search for information about potential careers. Although all of the students used the Internet for school project research and e-mail, only a small number had sought out information about colleges or career opportunities on the Internet.

The focus group research revealed that students were open to having more opportunities for workplace experiences so they could make informed decisions about their career choices. Key suggestions for community involvement between guidance counselors and local hospitals include:

• Career days at the high school that may include hospital tours and shadowing experiences for junior and senior students.
• Senior projects that allow seniors to visit a local health care professional periodically during school hours or allow for further investigation of various career choices in health care.
• Volunteer or mentoring programs at local health care organizations and hospitals.
• Provide health career information to guidance counselors and teachers so they can be prepared for questions from inquiring students.
• Classroom visits of nurses and other professionals to discuss their job responsibilities and respective education/training requirements.
• Summer camp programs and/or after-school nursing and health career clubs.
• Other school projects to familiarize students with careers in health care appropriate to various age groups.

Guidance counselors can call the Human Resources or Public Relations department of their local hospital to discuss setting up special opportunities for students to become acquainted with the variety of career choices available in health care. Information about nursing and other health careers also can be accessed through Pennsylvania’s regional Area Health Education Centers. In addition, schools are encouraged to learn more about the activities of their local Workforce Investment Boards and youth councils and how they might partner with them to provide programs that would enhance career awareness and interest in nursing and other health care careers.