Explore Careers and College Pathways with Your Student

At Braintree Academy, we believe in cultivating curiosity and helping students see the possibilities for their future. Whether your student dreams of becoming an engineer, an artist, a teacher, or an astronaut, career exploration can spark motivation and guide learning today.

We’ve gathered career and college exploration resources into categories so you can easily explore them with your child at home. Each link is kid-friendly, engaging, and full of opportunities to dream about the future.

Career Exploration Websites for Students

• Career Town (VA View) → https://vaview.net/career-town/A fun, interactive town where kids explore different careers by “visiting” places like hospitals, schools, and construction sites.

• Let’s Go Careers (KnowItAll) → https://www.knowitall.org/collections/career-explorations/lets-go-careersVideo interviews with professionals give students a firsthand look at what different jobs are really like.

• Career Exploration Middle School (Work Solutions) → https://www.wrksolutions.com/for-individuals/career-exploration/when-i-grow-up/middle-school-grades-6-8Designed for grades 6–8, this resource provides worksheets, games, and lessons to help students connect interests to future careers.

• Exploring Careers (Career Exploration Lessons) → https://www.exploring.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Career_Exploration_Lessons_6th_7thPrintable lessons and activities designed specifically for middle schoolers learning about the world of work.

• Claim Your Future Game → https://www.claimyourfuture.org/about-the-gameAn online simulation game where students “choose” a career, budget their lifestyle, and discover how financial choices connect to job options.

• Career Education Resources (KnowItAll) → https://www.knowitall.org/subject/career-educationA collection of career-related videos, activities, and teacher tools for students of all ages.

• Career Dreamer (Grow with Google) → https://grow.google/career-dreamer/Interactive activities to help students explore passions and connect them with career possibilities.

• Career Exploration Collection (Share My Lesson) → https://sharemylesson.com/collections/career-explorationA library of free lesson plans, videos, and activities to help students think about future goals.

• Career Clusters (VA Career View) → https://vacareerview.org/clusters/Students can explore 16 career clusters, learn about related jobs, and discover education pathways for each.

• Career Activities Book (PDF) → https://www.breitlinks.com/careers/career_pdfs/CareerActivitiesBook.pdfA printable packet of career games, worksheets, and activities for kids and teens.

• Career Bingo (PDF) → https://www.breitlinks.com/careers/career_pdfs/careerbingo.pdfA fun printable game that gets students thinking about different jobs while playing bingo.

STEM & Career Exploration

• EngineerGirl → https://www.engineergirl.org/A site encouraging girls (and boys, too!) to explore engineering careers through stories, role models, and fun challenges.

• TeachEngineering → https://www.teachengineering.org/A collection of free engineering lessons and hands-on activities for students from K-12.

• EdHeads → https://edheads.org/Interactive STEM career simulations—students can “perform” virtual knee surgery, design machines, or explore other STEM jobs.

• NASA Student Learning (Grades 5–8) → https://www.nasa.gov/learning-resources/for-students-grades-5-8/Space-themed projects, videos, and career insights into what it takes to work for NASA.

• U.S. Energy Kids (EIA.gov) → https://www.eia.gov/kids/index.phpSTEM activities and career connections related to energy, science, and technology.

College & Career Readiness

• EverFi Career Readiness Course → https://everfi.com/courses/k-12/college-career-readiness/Online modules that help students build workplace skills and prepare for college.

• O*NET Online → https://www.onetonline.org/A career database that lets students explore skills, wages, and job outlook for nearly any profession.

• BizKids Games → https://bizkids.com/games/Interactive games about business, money, and entrepreneurship for students interested in financial literacy.

• Teach the Children Well: Jobs & Work → https://www.teachthechildrenwell.com/other.html#workA collection of kid-friendly links to explore different jobs, money management, and work readiness.

• Career Videos (CareerOneStop) → https://www.careeronestop.org/Videos/CareerVideos/career-videos.aspx?frd=true&lang=enThousands of short videos featuring real professionals explaining their jobs.

• Virtual Career Day Activities → https://sites.google.com/sau9.org/ces-virtual-career-day/career-activitiesFun, interactive activities to recreate “career day” from home.

Career-Themed Read-Alouds

Sometimes the best way to spark imagination is through stories! Enjoy these career-themed read-alouds together:

• “When I Grow Up” by Al Yankovic → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEmTMTt9ujIA silly, imaginative story about all the possibilities for future careers.

• “Career Day” by Anne Rockwell → https://youtu.be/soKRa6D90WQStudents share what their parents do, helping kids see how many jobs shape a community.

• “Whose Hands Are These? A Community Helper Guessing Book” → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yCS-3f2MrDQA fun guessing game that introduces different community helper jobs.

• “Clothesline Clues to Jobs People Do” → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5OuKrSbpwcKids guess careers based on clothing and tools found on a clothesline.

• “ABC’s of Jobs” → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pVyrW_vwawAn alphabet adventure through careers from A to Z.

• “When I Grow Up” by Julie Chen → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtruJijuQFwA heartfelt story about following dreams and building a future.

• “What Do Grown-Ups Do All Day?” → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlR9c-I3b-kA beautifully illustrated book showing children the many different jobs adults do.

College Exploration

• Best Universities List → https://best-universities.net/Rankings and information about top colleges and universities in the U.S.

• College Navigator (NCES) → https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/A U.S. Department of Education tool to search and compare colleges nationwide.

• Wikipedia List of U.S. Colleges → https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_colleges_and_universities_in_the_United_StatesA comprehensive list of all colleges and universities in the United States.

Why Career Exploration Matters

Career and college exploration isn’t just about the future—it makes today’s learning more meaningful. When students see how math, reading, science, and social studies connect to real-world jobs, they are more motivated and engaged.

Encourage your child to explore these resources, dream big, and begin charting their unique pathway.