Although starting a career feels far away, the more prepared you are to work, the more likely you are to succeed. And if you don't know what you want to be when you grow up, that's perfectly ok.

It's hard to know what you really want to do with your life when there are so many choices. But we do want you to have information on what jobs are growing, what jobs are paying, and what jobs are just emerging.

This website is intended to be a helping hand for you to research the jobs you might like and to discover some new favorites. We're not talking homework. Just keep an open mind and have some fun!

Our Favorite Career Web Sites for Kids

These are some of the best web sites out there for kids on different careers and there are even more in each of the industry pages above!

• Ben's Guide to U.S. Government for Kids
• Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) - What Do You Like?
• Girlzone - Get a Job!
• Hot Shot Business
• Kids.gov
• National Agricultural Library - Kids and Teens
• National Geographic Kids
• Census Bureau: FactFinder Kids' Corner
• EPA Environmental Kids Club
• Department of the Interior - Kids
• HHS Pages for Kids

Advanced Manufacturing

If you've learned about the industrial revolution, you may have heard a lot of bad things about factories being dirty or dangerous places. Ugh! If you visit many factories today, you might be surprised how safe and clean they are. In modern factories, people get to work with robotics, lasers and other advanced technology.

Advanced manufacturing offers a lot of different jobs, because the finished product can be almost anything! For example, if you like science and are good with computers, you could help manufacture medicine or computer chips.

So go ahead and explore the world of advanced manufacturing with these cool videos:

Videos

	Hand Polishers and Grinders
	Machine Setters and Tenders
	Machinists
	Mechanical Engineers
	Precision Inspectors, Testers, and Graders
	Precision Assemblers
	Tool and Die Makers

Automotive Services

Do you ever imagine how much fun it will to drive? Have you ever thought it would be fun to work with cars as well as drive them? They go fast. They look cool. If your family has ever had a car break down, you know what a pain that can be and how important the person who fixes it is!

An automotive service job is a great way to help out others when they experience a breakdown. Plus you'll have the knowledge to prevent it from happening to you! To learn more about mechanics, technicians, and other automotive service jobs, check out these cool videos:

Videos

	Automotive Body Repairers
	Automotive Technicians
	Motorcycle Mechanics

Construction

Hard hats, lots of noise, and big orange cones may come to mind when someone mentions the construction industry. But did you ever think about how many workers it took to build the home stadium of your favorite sports team? How about why some bridges have beams (the long flat ones) while others have trusses (the ones with lots of triangular shapes)? How about the number of gallons of water that a dam can hold?

Construction is a cool industry because it takes both brains and muscle to make things happen. There is a lot of time spent thinking and planning what will be built. There are a lot of interesting machines to work with, from the smallest chisel to the largest earthmover. And the finished products affect every aspect of the world around us: just about every place we play, learn, work, eat, and sleep was made by construction workers.

Are you ready to take on the construction industry? Take a look at the videos we have and some of our favorite web sites that will introduce you to the world of construction. Have fun!

Videos

	Architecture and Construction (Industry Overview)
	Architects, Except Landscape and Naval
	Carpenters
	Crane and Tower Operators
	Drafters
	Earth Drillers, Except Oil and Gas
	Electricians
	Excavating and Loading Machine Operators
	Explosives Workers, Ordnance Handling Experts, and Blasters
	Grader, Bulldozer, and Scraper Operators
	Masons
	Painters and Paperhangers
	Plumbers
	Roofers
	Structural Iron Workers
	Surveyors
	Welders
	Wood Machinists

Our Favorite Construction Web Sites For Kids

• Construct My Future
  This site will teach you all about what a career in construction is all about.
• Try Tools
  The Try Tools web site has some great links to games, toys and books.
• Build it Big
  Find out about bridges, domes, skyscrapers, dams, and tunnels. Learn about the people behind these impressive structures and why they love what they do.
• The Great Picture Book of Construction Equipment
  Find pictures and explanations of the machines that get down and dirty. You'll see the really big stuff here: dump trucks, bulldozers, hydraulic excavators, wheel loaders, cranes, and more.
• The Great Buildings Collection
  Take a look at this comprehensive site that contains awe-inspiring buildings from all around the world.
• Bob the Builder
  This is information about construction like you've never seen it before.
• Hot Shot Business

Energy

If you've ever experienced a power outage during a severe storm, you know the importance of energy. Electricity, heat, fuel - these are the bare necessities! Without them, we'd be back to using chunks of ice to freeze our food and open fires to cook it.

In the energy industry, you can do something adventurous like drill for oil out in the ocean, or you can play it safe and investigate new sources of energy. You can be adventurous by repairing electrical lines damaged in a storm or play it safe and work to ensure that people aren't exposed to environmental health hazards.

Whether you're looking for adventure or just want to be a part of the industry that maintains life as we know it, check out the jobs that would be suited for you:

Videos

		Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers
		Loading Machine Operators, Underground Mining
		Underground Mining
		Nuclear Engineers
		Petroleum Engineers
		Power Plant Operators
		Rotary Drill Operators, Oil and Gas
		Surveyors

Our Favorite Energy Web Sites For Kids

• Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy - Kids Saving Energy
• Energy Information Administration Kids Site!
• Nuclear Regulatory Commission: Students' Corner

Financial Services

Have you watched your mom or dad do the family taxes, or gone to the bank with them? You might not know a whole lot about money right now but some day, you may be one of the people who help keep the world going 'round.

There are so many jobs that deal with money! You could work in a bank as a teller. You could work for a company that helps people to invest wisely. You could figure out how much a piece of land or property is worth for a real estate company. You could even work for a financial firm, analyzing stocks and conducting transactions worth millions.

Whether it sounds cool or confusing, take a look at how you can work with money to make money:

Videos

		Accountants and Auditors
		Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks
		Credit Analysts
		Loan Officers
		Personal Financial Advisors
		Tellers

Our Favorite Financial Services Web Sites For Kids

• U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing - Fun and Games

Health Care

Ever had a broken bone? How about bronchitis? Being sick or hurt really stinks. Sometimes you can't do the things that you love to do, like play outside or go to sleepovers or eat your favorite foods. Sometimes you even have to stay in a hospital or have an operation. Luckily, health care professionals are there to help us.

We all know about doctors and nurses, but there are a lot of other important jobs to explore! Physical therapists treat problems with muscles, bones, or joints. They use a variety of exercises and equipment to help their patients. That's just one of the many jobs out there.

There are lots of ways to be a part of the team that helps people feel better and have healthier lives. Find out how through the videos and fun links below:

Videos

		Dental Hygienist
		Dentists
		Diagnostic Medical Sonographers
		Home Health Aides
		Licensed Practical Nurses
		Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists
		Medical and Health Services Managers
		Medical Assistants
		Optometrists
		Personal Home Care Assistants
		Pharmacists
		Physical Therapists
		Physician Assistants
		Physicians
		Radiologic Technicians and Technologists
		Registered Nurses

Our Favorite Health Care Web Sites For Kids

• Kids Health for Kids
• The Yuckiest Site on the Internet
• Kids Career Corner

Hospitality

New York City, the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, Disney World... Maybe you've been to these places. Maybe your friends have talked about visiting them. Like any vacation destination, they offer a lot of cool things to see and do. When you work in the hospitality industry, you have the potential to turn a vacation destination into a workplace.

If you like talking and interacting with people, you can be a server, desk clerk, supervisor, or manager. If you're a little shy and like to work behind the scenes, you can cook or help prepare food. Or you can help organize conventions and big parties. These are just a few possibilities. Take a look at these videos to start finding out what jobs you think would be the most fun:

Videos

		Concierges
		Cooks, Restaurant
		Dietitians and Nutritionists
		Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop
		Waiters and Waitresses

Information Technology

How often do you use computers at school? How often do you use them at home to do homework, chat with friends or play video games? Computers are used just about everywhere, so if you think they're a lot of fun, you may just want to build a career around them.

At the professional workplace, there are programmers who create the instructions that tell a computer what to do. There are data communications analysts who make sure that it is possible for one computer to "talk" to another. There are network administrators who make sure that a company's computers all work together.

To learn more about these important jobs, check out these videos and a very cool technology web site just for kids:

Videos

		Computer and Data Processing
		Computer Hardware Engineers
		Computer Operators
		Computer Programmers
		Computer Software Engineers
		Database Administrators
		Help Desk Technicians
		Network Administrators
		Systems Analysts

Retail

Are you the type of person who owns ten pairs of jeans, or do you wear a favorite t-shirt to school all week? Do you go to the mall to hang out with your friends? If you are the kid who loves to shop, the retail industry would be a fun place to look for a job.

Malls, shops, and department stores do a lot of advertising to sound appealing. Inside the stores, there are cashiers and clerks who are friendly and ready to help out customers. Different jobs allow you to perform, manage, or supervise all of these activities.

Next time you go to the mall, look around to see how many people it takes to run a store. You just might want to work there someday!

Videos

		Cashiers
		Customer Service Representatives
		Merchandise Displayers and Window Trimmers
		Sales Representatives
		Salesperson, Retail

Our Favorite Retail Web Sites For Kids

• Hot Shot Business

Transportation

Have you ever taken a cross-country trip? How about a family vacation using the mini-van? Traveling on the open road can be a lot of fun (unless you start fighting with your siblings, of course!). Just think: some people sit behind the wheel to go to work. For others, sitting behind the wheel is work.

There are taxi drivers, bus drivers, truck drivers, train conductors, pilots, and so many other jobs that involve travel. These jobs may give you a sense of freedom that is hard to find in a stuffy office! You may be able to set your own hours and work at your own pace.

If you think that independence makes a job more fun, definitely check out these careers!

Videos

		Air Traffic Controllers
		Aircraft Pilots and Flight Engineers
		Flight Attendants
		Highway Maintenance Workers
		Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators
		Longshoreman
		Railroad Yardmasters
		Ship and Boat Captains
		Shipping, Receiving, and Traffic Clerks
		Taxi Drivers and Chauffeurs
		Transportation Managers
		Transportation, Distribution and Logistics
		Travel Agents
		Travel Clerks
		Truck Drivers, Heavy
		Truck Drivers, Light or Delivery Services

Our Favorite Transportation Web Sites For Kids

• Kids and Bicycle Safety
• Federal Highway Administration - For K-5th Graders
• Federal Highway Administration - For 6th-8th Graders

Emerging Industries

There are some fields that will need a lot more people by the time you are actually thinking seriously about a job so it makes sense to check them out now!

You've probably heard about the international space station that is being built right now high above us. What would it be like to work in space? Talk about not working at a desk job! A career in aerospace may be right for you.

Biotechnology is also quickly becoming a household word. If you've ever watched a TV show where DNA is used to solve a crime or had a relative get a brand new treatment help them get better, you were watching biotechnology at work.

Have you heard of or seen a car with a computer that tells the driver how to get someplace? This amazing ability is due to geospatial technology which uses satellites in space and computers on earth. This field will need people who know how to operate all of this equipment.

And if you want to REALLY be on the cutting edge, learn about nanotechnology. This is the science of using super small particles to do amazing things-once we figure them out! Maybe you'll be the person who develops new products based on nanotechnology.

Videos

		Aerospace Engineers
		Air Traffic Controllers
		Aircraft Mechanics
		Aircraft Pilots and Flight Engineers
		Biological Scientists
		Biological, Agricultural, and Food Science Technicians
		Biomedical Engineers
		Chemical Engineers
		Chemists
		Surveyors

Our Favorite Emerging Fields Web Sites For Kids

• NASA's Earth Science Enterprise: For Kids Only
• NASA Educator Astronaut Program
• U.S. Geological Survey: TerraWeb for KIDS!
• All About GPS
• NASA for Students
• NanoKids