Here are links to some other websites you could use to investigate careers:

Glossary:

Articulation:

- An agreement between two schools or universities to allow credits for classes taken at one university to be transferred to another university. This can be useful if someone is moving, or if the program that someone wants to complete is unavailable at their local school.

Apprenticeship:

- A form of training where a professional who is experienced in the field works to teach newer people in the field how to do the job. This is mostly done in the trades, and typically involves a lot of on-the-job work. Usually apprenticeships last between 6 months and 2 years. An example is the apprenticeship program offered by Precision Plumbing and Heating Systems, for HVAC. They have a plumbing apprenticeship as well!

Internship:

- A wide range of training opportunities in which the student works side-by-side with professionals in the field. These can be paid or unpaid opportunities, and usually last anywhere from a couple months, to a year.

Job Shadow:

- An opportunity for students or interns to follow a professional around for a short time as they work. This gives the student a feeling for what it is like to work in that job, and the opportunity to ask questions they might not normally be able to.

Informational Interview:

-An opportunity to practice interviews in a low-key environment, and talk with an employer about the field.

STEM: 

-An acronym that stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, and things related to these fields. Sometimes Arts is also included to make the acronym STEAM.

Certificate:

- A document stating that the person who received it has successfully completed some level of training or education that is specifically mentioned in the certificate. With the appropriate certification, this can show employers that you have the knowledge of how to do a particular task properly, and is helpful while job seeking.

Credential: 

- A general term used to categorize things including certificates, degrees, previous experience, and expertise. It basically provides justification for why you should be able to perform a task or be hired for a job, because you have done similar things before. 

Program: 

- In this context, a program is a set of classes and learning opportunities that are available to students to pursue. It is the pathway that a student may follow during their time at school. An example would be Northwest Education Service’s Allied Health Program, which is a collection of classes a student can choose from to gain experience in healthcare fields. 

Dual Enrollment:

A student taking courses at two different institutions at the same time. This can be a high school and a college or 2 different colleges. You can take classes at your local community college in high school, and then enroll in classes at the University Center while you are fulfilling your general requirements at community college. Learn more about dual enrollment at Northwestern Michigan College here.

Major:

- In a typical 4-year Bachelor’s program, the major is the main subject that a student chooses to study. 

Minor:

- A secondary section of classes that the student may have an interest in, but requires fewer classes to complete. Sometimes taken to compliment a major, such as a Business or Chemistry minor taken to go along with an Environmental Science major that gives a nuanced understanding of the main subject. Less commonly, they can also be unrelated, and follow the interest of the student.

General Education (GenEd): 

- These are the additional classes that every student at a school must take, they are typically completed in the first two years of a 4-year program, and include subjects such as general science, writing/communication, math classes, and others.  

Academic Credits: 

- An acknowledgement that a student has completed a certain class or number of classes. You need a certain number of these in order to graduate. Typically, you will need a set number in whatever you wish to take as a major, as well as some outside of the major, called electives or general education. Each program is different so be sure to double check the requirements!

Associate’s Degree (AAS, …): 

- Typically a 2-year degree that lets employers know that you have completed focused, specified training beyond high school. Programs for these degrees are typically offered at Community Colleges, but can sometimes also be found at Universities. Many entry-level jobs may require this, or similar experience levels. Most, but not all, of the programs at NMC will end with an Associate’s Degree.

Bachelor’s Degree (BS, BA, BFA,...):

- A four-year degree sometimes offered at Community Colleges, but primarily offered at Universities. For some fields, this is considered the standard degree that will get you in the door of a job that you may be looking for. The abbreviations refer to the type of Bachelor's Degree, and let you know the general focus of the degree. BS is Bachelor's of Science, and means your classes focused on studying from a scientific perspective.

Masters Degree (MS, MA,...):

- A type of advanced degree that usually takes 2 years beyond a Bachelor’s to complete. This is typically considered an entry-level requirement in some specialized fields, but sometimes is also helpful in moving upwards in a career.  

Doctorate Degree:

- A type of advanced degree that usually takes many years of additional education beyond the “typical” four. 4-6 years beyond a Bachelor’s is typical, but it varies based on the program. People sometimes get a Master’s degree beforehand, but not always.

Cohort:

- All the students that generally take the same classes together. In high school, a cohort would be the same graduating class.

Hot Job:

- A job which, through discussions with local educators and employers, is very in-demand at the moment. Employers are actively looking for, and unable to find people in this career, or every student who wants one and goes through a program in the region is able to find a job in this career.