A Chester County Economic Development Council initiative

Deciding on a career path can seem like a daunting task. Why start planning something that seems so far away? Choosing a career path early on can help you to become, not only prepared, but confident in pursuing your career goals.

SOME QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER ARE:

  • Do I want to enroll in a 4 or 2-year college?
  • Are my needs better met by a techincal or trade school?
  • Will I benefit from a high school internship or apprenticeship with a local manufacturing company?
  • What manufacturing concentration am I most interested in: mechanical or electrical engineering, production, robotics, operations, programming or some other option?

In order to be well-prepared to pursue a career in manufacturing or engineering, post-secondary education providers look for students to have taken, and done reasonably well in:

MATH & SCIENCE COURSES
Physics, Calculus, Pre-Calculus (including trigonometry), Chemistry, Geometry, etc.

WRITING & SPEECH COURSES
Manufacturing also requires great communication skills – documentation and technical
writing skills are a must.

COMPUTER SCIENCE
Manufacturing is an advanced field filled with high-tech equipment. Building a technical foundation early will allow you to hit the ground running.

Colleges want to see you take these high-level courses because if you succeed, it usually means that you like the subject and also your success in these courses can predict your success in pursuing a manufacturing or engineering degree. A great way to get started is to talk to your high school guidance counselor – let them know what fields you’re interested in and have them help you create a clear path for career success.

Looking to jumpstart your manufacturing career path by enrolling in a local high school with a technical focus? Below you’ll find high schools within Chester County and Delaware County dedicated to helping students achieve technical success: