LIHU‘E — The University of Hawai‘i Community Colleges are offering free, online Next Step: Career Exploration classes to Hawai‘i’s Class of 2020 public high school graduates.
They are available on a first-come, first-serve basis, and students can develop their career plans in these summer classes and identify their next steps toward their career goals, whether to enroll in college, seek employment or both.
Students will begin to earn college credits and start working towards their next graduation, and earning a college degree. Those who sign up will learn how to navigate college, explore career options and discover the education and training available at UH to help them reach their career and life goals.
It is part of the Next Steps to Your Future initiative, a partnership between the UH Community Colleges and Hawai‘i P-20 Partnerships for Education
“The high school graduating Class of 2020 persevered in the face of incredible adversity in their personal lives and education,” said David Lassner, UH president.
”We know many of their plans were disrupted, so the University of Hawai‘i is offering free summer Career Exploration classes to help them develop new plans and take the next steps toward their goals. Hawai‘i needs every one of our young people to be a part of planning for our shared future and how they will each contribute to taking care of their families, their communities and these islands that are our home,” Lassner said.
All public high school graduates are encouraged to sign up via the Next Step: Career Exploration website, p20hawaii.org/next steps, which includes a list of frequently asked questions. They can also email or text nextstep@hawaii.edu.
The first class begins on Tuesday, May 26. Students will be assigned to classes based on when they sign up and the information they provide, such as career interests.
The UH Community Colleges and Hawai‘i P-20 Partnerships for Education are co-sponsors of the Next Steps to Your Future initiative. Hawai‘i P-20’s Summer Advising Initiative helps students to make informed critical decisions towards achieving their post-high plans, said Lassner.
Advisors will guide students through their summer transition towards college or career, including nudging messages through a texting campaign, building on a Hawai‘i P-20 pilot project previously implemented in a few high schools this year.
Students can sign up for the free summer advising program by texting “nextsteps” to (808) 460-8360 or signing up on the website.
Next Steps is funded by UH partners at the Harold K.L. Castle Foundation, the Hawai‘i Resilience Fund of the Hawai‘i Community Foundation, Strada Education Network and the Stupski Foundation.
