Focusing on the Future : Career Selection Takes On Greater Emphasis at Younger Age

Eighth-grader Mike Prescott had just a few questions about a potential career at sea.

“Do I have to cut my hair?” he asked Lt. Vic Clarke, representing the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps at a career fair last month at Balboa Middle School.

“Yes,” answered Clarke, executive director of the Navy-oriented youth group based at Point Mugu.

“If I get my ear pierced, would I have to take my earring out if I joined?” asked Mike, 14. “If you don’t,” Clarke said, “I get to take it out for you.”

“Do you get to shoot automatic weapons?” Mike pressed. No. “Semiautomatics?” No.

“Do you get to throw grenades?” Mike continued. “No, son,” Clarke said. “The Navy doesn’t throw grenades.”

Out of questions, the inquisitive middle school student drifted away for the moment.

“I don’t know,” he said, running a hand through his long, curly locks. “If I have to cut my hair, it’s going to take some thinking.”

That’s exactly what organizers of Balboa’s first-ever Career Day were hoping for. By introducing the youngsters to a variety of careers, event sponsors hoped to get them thinking early and often about their futures.

“The thought was to challenge these kids, even before high school, to start thinking about the variety of jobs available to them,” said Dave Erickson, a Camarillo insurance agent and member of the East Ventura Optimist Club. The service organization helped sponsor the event.

“It’s important to help them focus on the future,” Erickson said. “Judging by what I see today, it has been a success.”

More than 30 professions were represented. There was a doctor and a dentist, a police officer, a lifeguard and a firefighter. The district attorney’s office also sent a representative.

“We’re turning out all these kids who don’t know what they’re going to do when they grow up,” said Cheryl Meyers, a counselor at Balboa. “They have no focus. We want to provide them some ideas, some direction.”

Brandon Janes, 14, pretty much has his mind made up about the future. Still, he said it was good to see all of the options.

“I’m sure I want to be a cop,” said Brandon, whose father is an officer with the Ventura Police Department. “I just don’t know what kind yet.”

Registered nurse Stephanie Huhn, representing St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard, fielded questions about careers in medicine.

“I think it gives you the reward of knowing that you helped somebody, maybe even saved someone’s life,” said Huhn, a stethoscope dangling from her neck. “You probably won’t get real rich, but there’s more to a good career than money.”