Most of my articles are written for adults with experience.  This article is about high school kids. Most of us have kids, grandkids, nieces, nephews who might need our help.

Does this sound like your high school kid?

I HATE SCHOOL OH MY GODDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD,” Olivia Jade Giannulli, daughter of Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannullio, said back in 2017, while still in high school.

Olivia Jade also wrote in a since-deleted tweet (via Fox 8 Cleveland): “It’s so hard to try in school when you don’t care about anything you’re learning.”

Remember the story about her? Her folks bribed people and lied on her resume to get into the University of Southern California in 2018. She dropped out.

Read More from this story.

Studies

Many kids don’t do well in the traditional classroom or learning remotely, but they can do excel in a targeted setting to study what relates to their dream industry.

Should they go to a four-year college, a two-year college, or a trade school? What motivates them? Do they love tinkering with broken appliances like a toaster, or can they dance circles around you when dealing with computers?

The least expensive way to get an aptitude and interest survey is to contact your local community college’s career services department. These surveys provide ideas but not definitive answers. You do not have to spend a fortune on them.

Networking

No matter what the age, it comes down to networking. Start asking around. Do you know someone who knows someone who could introduce them to a person who does the work they are interested in? Maybe they could shadow this person for a day at work or get advice on what it takes to get that kind of job.

Start with contacts you already have — people who know all kinds of workers from tradespeople to professionals. I’m talking about your minister banker, doctor, accountant, plumber, electrician, or roofer.

This is a great reality check, and it will help them decide, “This is not for me,” or it will motivate them to work all the harder. When a kid can experience “the real thing” and get advice from an insider about what it takes to be successful, their motivation goes way up.

Be the Best

Even in the most depressed fields, there are experts still commanding good salaries. The goal for your student is to be one of the best at whatever they decide to do.

If you want them to go to a four-year college, that is your dream. It may not be their dream.

Back to Olivia Jade. A four-year college is not for her. She is making a living from social media. She claims she has nearly 2 million YouTube subscribers and 1.4 million Instagram followers to date. This is her passion and is what motivates her.

Note: This may not be the best example because a lot of other things surround the story. It is convenient for my article.