Exploring new pathways, finding colleges and applying for jobs can be very overwhelming for students. The career coaches are there to help them. Career coaches help students with their career paths, whether they are going to college after school or entering the workforce. They help students make the decision that best fits them. 

Ms. Erica Golden is part of the Career Coach program, a grant from the Create Foundation and Toyota USA. She has been a career coach at Tupelo High School for eight years.

“We target 10th graders because we plant the seeds of helping them understand what it is, what pathway they want to take,” Golden said. 

In addition, they will start working with 9th graders to “help them understand what careers best fit them.”

Students mostly consult career coaches because “they just don’t know where to start to even navigate,” Golden said. 

One resource Ms. Golden uses to help students find their path is work shadowing and helping them secure a paid internship. 

The program that is available uses two internships: Toyota, which is a 15-week paid internship and you have to be 18 years of age, and Spain, where students can do 100 hours of paid internship in any pathway.

One strategy Ms. Golden uses to help students is asking them, “If you could wake up in the morning and go do whatever it is that you’re very passionate about, and you get paid to do it, what does that look like for you?” This way, she can get an idea of what the student is really looking forward to doing.

Career coaches can be a very helpful resource for every student, whether they know what they want to do after high school or not.

You can visit Ms. Golden or Mr. Bass in B104