What I’m thinking about: We’re asking them to pick too soon

The skills vs. degrees debate has dominated a lot of conversations in our industry, and I’ve been part of that conversation. But lately I’ve been thinking about something that comes before either one — and it’s more personal than policy.

We’re asking kids to pick too soon.

Think about a sophomore in high school. They are fifteen. They’re figuring out who their friends are, whether they like chemistry, and how to parallel park. And we’re asking them to start narrowing down a career direction? To pick a track, choose electives that align and start thinking about what they want to be. Most adults I know are still figuring that out.

What if instead of asking kids to pick, we gave them space to explore? Not in a vague, follow-your-passion kind of way, but real, hands-on exposure to work they didn’t know existed. Let them see what a respiratory therapist does. Let them spend time with an HVAC specialist or a lab tech. Let them discover that health care isn’t just doctors and nurses.

That’s the philosophy behind the work I’ve been doing with the healthcare councils in KC and St. Louis. Events like Explore Your Future this fall are designed for exactly this — giving middle and high school students a chance to explore before anyone asks them to commit. Not sorting. Exploring.

I think the skills vs. degrees conversation matters. But if we don’t create space for exploration first, we’re just debating which box to put kids in — when maybe the real answer is to stop boxing them in so early.