BY CARLA ALLEN

The Coast Guard

NovaNewsNow.com

Wendy Jones-Darrow, guidance counsellor for the Barrington Municipal High School, is modest about being one of 28 award winners recognized province wide during Education Week recently for preparing Nova Scotia's youth for the workforce.

“There were several teachers nominated in Shelburne County, all of them equally deserving, and it would be nice for their contributions to be highlighted as well. There are so many teachers who work so hard and make such a difference in the lives of their students and receive very little praise or recognition that it is difficult for me to accept that I do any more than many of my colleagues,” she said.

Although she has been teaching for 27 years, this is Jones-Darrow’s first year as a guidance counsellor. Her advice to students who are confused as to which occupation to choose is to focus on their strengths when considering what they would like to do in the future.

“It isn't as simple as choosing what you like to do because we can't always make a living at what we like to do in our spare time. Choosing a career should begin much earlier than Grade 12 because it is as much about knowing yourself well, your likes and dislikes, your strengths and weaknesses, as it is finding out what an occupation is about. This process can begin in elementary school. We have some tools (assessments) that students can use to help themselves become more aware of what their strengths are and what types of professions they might lean toward. I would like to have more time to devote to career counselling because it can be a lengthy process, but is worth it,” she said.

Jones-Darrow says there is a shift in attitude among parents and students from the idea that a student must attend university if they wish to become successful, to the position that a post-secondary education such as what a community college would provide that is more skills oriented and focused toward a specific set of workplace skills, can prove just as successful in terms of gaining employment and achieving job satisfaction.

She believes that for the most part, male and female students are still choosing jobs that are traditional for their gender, but she is seeing more girls choosing to take training for trades such as electrical and carpentry.

The popularity of fields changes according to demand for a particular occupation. Last year several students showed an interest in pharmacy, and nursing, while this year several students have expressed an interest in the trades, health care professions, medicine, teaching, and business/office programs. “Certainly, more students are staying in school today than when I first started teaching; we have seen our graduating class double since then,” she said.

Preparing students for the future isn't just about choosing an occupation adds Jones-Darrow. They will be more than employees. More importantly, they will be wives, husbands, partners, mothers and fathers, and community members. While a job can give them great satisfaction and provide a style of living, it doesn't totally define who they will become.

“They need many personal skills for those important personal roles and for the challenges they will face. I think teachers can, and do, play a huge role in encouraging a student to develop skills that can help them cope successfully in both the workplace and in their personal relationships.

Jones-Darrow’s advice for students?

“An education is a costly investment. They should spend a lot of time researching - labour market information, job descriptions, qualities necessary, and post-secondary institutions that fit both academic and financial needs. Would they consider buying a car or a house before checking it out thoroughly?” she asked.