How many times have you asked a child what they wanted to be when they grow up? Sometimes their responses stay the same throughout their teenage years and they know what it will take to get there. For others, the idea of choosing a career before graduating high school can be stressful.
It’s not just young adults asking themselves these questions. Displaced workers sometimes find themselves at a point where they need to change careers and struggle to figure out what to do next.
That’s why Stanly Community College (SCC) created SCC PathFinder, a selection tool designed to help individuals explore careers based on their preferences and interests. Located on the home page of SCC’s website (www.stanly.edu), one can digitally explore details of the educational pathways available for those careers, as well as employment trends and average salary information.
“SCC PathFinder is a good start to exploring careers that might be of interest to someone,” said SCC Vice President of Academic Affairs and Chief Academic Officer Jeff Parsons. “Even if someone knows what they want to do, they may not know the education and training required to earn a position in that field. This tool gives the user all the information necessary to plan for the next step.”
In recent years, SCC noticed that even though this information is available on the internet, the resources are disconnected and present a challenge for students and displaced workers, especially in rural communities as they seek their best path forward to support themselves and their families.
In addition to career-specific statistics, SCC PathFinder gives users the time and course requirements necessary to earn degrees, diplomas and certificates as both full and part-time students. This information is especially useful for those who plan to work while obtaining their credentials.
This digital initiative was made possible through grant funding from the Alcoa Foundation. 
For more information about SCC PathFinder, visit the homepage of www.stanly.edu .