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IN THIS EDITION

🍎 Why discovering what you hate might be your teen's most valuable experience
🍎 College graduates facing the worst relative job market in 40 years
🍎 Free career exploration tools that reveal paths beyond the traditional college route

💡 1 THOUGHT

CELEBRATING THE DEAD ENDS

"Great! Now you know what you don't want to do." Rose Ybaben, founder of SOARING2COLLEGE, told her son after he quit his mailroom job at a rock climbing company. "And that's just as important as knowing what you want to do or what you want to try."

What had seemed like a perfect fit became miserable fast—and that was valuable.

As Rose explains in the latest episode of the OpenEd podcast, career paths aren't linear. They're elimination rounds where each "no" redirects you to better options. After 15 years helping families navigate post-high school transitions, she's seen how these clarifying moments help students discover not just what excites them, but also what doesn't.

Listen to the full episode with Rose Ybaben and Danielle Randall here →

📊 2 TRENDS

1. THE COLLEGE GRAD REVERSAL

Recent college graduates face a 5.8% unemployment rate – the worst relative gap compared to overall unemployment in 40 years.

Since at least the 1800s, new technology has benefitted those with more education. Industrialization, computers, and robotics replaced manual labor while creating opportunities for knowledge workers with degrees.

What's different now?

1. Post-pandemic tech industry contraction
2. College degrees providing diminishing returns since 2010
3. Entry-level knowledge work being automated

Don’t despair, though… there’s also this 👇️

2. HIGH SCHOOLERS LANDING $70,000 JOBS

The Wall Street Journal reports companies facing skilled worker shortages are recruiting students directly from high schools, with juniors receiving $70,000/year job offers. One welding student described it as "like I'm an athlete getting all this attention from all these pro teams."

Key drivers behind this trend:

• Critical labor shortages in skilled trades
• Astronomical college costs prompting families to reconsider ROI
• Industry-school partnerships creating direct pipelines to careers

🔨 3 TOOLS

FIND YOUR PATH WITHOUT DEBT

"I want students to know you don't have to go to an Ivy League school. You don't have to go somewhere where you're coming out with $100,000, $200,000 of debt because of a college degree," says Rose Ybaben.

1. Soaring2College - Rose Ybaben's personalized advising service helps families create post-high school plans that don't default to expensive four-year degrees. With 15 years of experience and a Master's in Counseling, she works with families virtually or in-person, starting with ninth graders to open dialogue years before decisions are rushed. Her motto: "Together we can do it." Visit soaring2college.com or email rose@soaring2college.com

2. CareerOneStop Self-Assessments - Department of Labor tools that match interests to careers in under 30 minutes.

3. O*NET Interest Profiler - Shows which careers fit your interests with which education levels.

BONUS TOOL: Ken Coleman’s book and career assessment - Find the Work You’re Wired to Do.

Watched a teen struggle to find direction? Share what worked by replying to this email.

📖 WORD OF THE DAY

MULTIPOTENTIALITY

Multipotentiality [mul-ti-po-ten-shee-AL-i-tee], noun: The state of having many exceptional talents or interests, potentially leading to various career paths.

A common trait among self-directed learners, multipotentiality can make traditional career selection challenging—but becomes a superpower in an era demanding adaptability and cross-disciplinary thinking.

That’s all for today!

– Charlie (the OpenEd newsletter guy)