It’s graduation season once again, and for many high school graduates, the next few months will set the tone for the rest of their lives and determine whether or not they are a good fit for the careers they envision themselves having in adulthood.

High school graduates frequently find themselves at a crossroads – not knowing if they will be able to land a job, establish a business on their own, take a higher vocational course, or proceed to college.

Fortunately, for 1,308 senior high school students, they need not feel lost in this familiar but grandiose place called “the real world.”

What many people don’t realize is that choosing the right career is a lifelong process. Their career development depends not just on the school and course they registered for but on nurturing the individual’s talents and strengths. Their chosen field helps them develop the right skill sets to get them work-ready and set up for success.

“JA Careers with a Purpose!”, a program spearheaded by the FactSet and JA Philippines, helps students in senior high school understand the importance of work readiness while providing them a strong focus on social studies, business, consumer economics, reading, writing, and mathematics.

Designed to complement the government-mandated Career Guidance Program and partnered with the Department of Education, “JA Careers with a Purpose!” is a studentfocused program that helps students achieve their career aspirations and prepare them in the world of work. These include learning about personal brands and how to prepare jobhunting tools like resumes, cover letters, interviews, and digital profiles.

“JA Careers with a Purpose!” was attended by more than 1,308 participants from 202 schools nationwide involving special education students, thanks to the partnership between FactSet, JA, and the Department of Education – Bicol Region & Negros Occidental.

Around 24 volunteers from FactSet helped to facilitate the breakout sessions of the participants. All 24 volunteers underwent 3-hour training sessions supported by online video tutorials before the start of the program.

During the sessions, students learned the fundamental business and economic concepts, explored their career interests and opportunities, and learned significant principles of financial literacy. The students left positive reviews about their experiences, many calling the episode “life-changing” and saying that it had given them a new understanding of what a career should be and learned about the significant weight in choosing one’s career.

Testimonials:

I learned the different criteria in choosing a job or career for your future and what different steps and experiences you should acquire for your career and job. Moreover, you must know your noble purpose and connect them to a job that fits exactly your noble purpose in life. You must first find the skills, scenario, and value of that skill you like the most to find your noble purpose. It showed me what I value more and the top priorities I have in mind to connect in my noble purpose for me to find a better career and job. It made me realize the differences between job, career, and transitional job to show what type you should choose for your job and find the best options. I also learned how you should behave and act to different people in your work environment to be a total professional and mature for certain situations that are required and have a persona in work and yourself. To acquire respect from others you should let them see that you are a responsible, hard worker and respectful to others whether they are an employee or an owner of a company, everybody should be treated equally. Everything will be decided in your choices and decisions which can affect your future and your situation. Furthermore, your decision and everything are controlled by you not by anyone else. You make your own decisions and build your destiny, I’ve learned all of this because of the help of this program and the only thing left to do is to take action for your future and everything you value to achieve your career goal.

Much appreciation to FactSet & the Department of Education for making this program implementation possible.

– Vincent Jann Cantar