Dr J's column for April 26-May2, 2009
Thursday, I was invited to speak to the children and parents taking part in Take a Child to Work Day here at Ohio State. Some of you may have participated in similar events when you were younger because it's a national program that's been going on since 1993. It was originally called Take Our Daughters to Work Day and designed to expose girls to a wider view of career options. In 2003, the event was expanded to include boys as well. Parents bring their children (usually pre-teens) to work with them, and they get to see what Mom or Dad does on the job.
Some employers, including Ohio State, create a complete program with workshops for the kids that allow them to experience a variety of careers. The participants here could choose two workshops from about dozen offered, including visiting the university airport, veterinary hospital and police station, as well as some related to academic areas such as economics, engineering and foreign languages. The organizers made sure there was variety, and there's a lot to choose from at Ohio State.
Some of you chose to enroll here specifically for the variety of majors and opportunities that Ohio State offers. You may have entered with a career goal in mind, or you may have had only vague ideas of what you wanted to do. If you've changed your mind at least once since entering, you're completely normal. This is definitely the time and place to explore, discover and refine your strengths and to find your passion. It's likely that you will hold several jobs in the course of your working life, and it's a given that you will have to keep learning new work-related skills throughout your career. So, college is less about training for a particular position and more about developing a foundation of knowledge, critical thinking, leadership and interpersonal skills, and global literacy that will serve you throughout a lifetime of learning.
One 90-minute workshop at age 10 is unlikely to provide lifetime career direction, but it can open a child's mind to a world of possibilities. In the same way, one class, one activity, or one internship or job can be the catalyst that sets you on your career path. That's why I urge you, as I did the kids on Thursday, to try lots of things.
Dr. J
Javaune Adams-Gaston
Vice President for Student Life
vicepresident@studentlife.osu.edu
Contact:
Ruth Gerstner
614-292-8424
rgerstner@studentlife.osu.edu