Explore and Clarify Your Career Pathway

Career exploration is the process of discovering and investigating various career options to make informed decisions about one's professional path. It involves self-assessment, researching different industries, gaining practical experience, and considering how individual skills and interests align with potential careers.

This page is where you can conduct research to gather information on various majors and occupations. There is no one right way of exploring but consider reflecting on the various concepts in the Getting Started page and Knowing Yourself page to help you focus your career exploration.

Make an appointment with a career counselor for further personalized guidance on career exploration → Request to Make an Appointment (PLEASE NOTE THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR ACADEMIC COUNSELING)

Before you begin your Career Exploration

What is a major? It is your intended area of study.
It is how you spend your college life…NOT what you will do the rest of your life
Set of classes to separate our knowledge in a particular discipline , field, career, skillset
Many people start college without knowing their major
Perfectly normal to not know what you want to major in. And it is normal to change your major. Over 30% of students do.

IMPORTANT KEY WORDS when thinking about majors

Prerequisites: courses to take before you take the more advanced ones
Electives: classes to hone specific skills
Concentration: Specialized area of study within a field
General Education (GE): introductory courses in a range of required subjects. Core academic areas such as English, Math, Arts and Humanities, Social Science. Taking GEs can broaden our horizon to help us discover potential majors

SUGGESTION: Take GE courses you like to explore

What’s important when exploring is you keep an open mind, remain curious, and actively explore your options - and seek support and advice when you need it.. Sooner rather than later

Review the following video and the NEXT section “How to pick a major”
How to Choose a Major | Crash Course | How to College

Choosing a major is a significant decision that involves considering your interests, skills, values, and future career goals. Here are some steps to help guide you in choosing a major:

Self-Assessment: Reflect on your interests, passions, skills, strengths and values. Review the content on KNOWING YOURSELF AND CAREER ASSESSMENTS for further reflection.
Course Exploration: Take a variety of introductory courses in different fields to explore subjects, experience different teaching styles, and gain a better understanding of your preferences.
REVIEW the Major and Career Exploration Courses list
NOTE: taking classes does take time, money, and energy so consider the possibility the subject may not end up being the major you choose. however, immersing yourself into the field by taking a can be quite valuable in your exploration process
Experiential Learning: Seek internships, part-time jobs, or volunteer opportunities in fields you are considering. Real-world experience can provide valuable insights and help you make informed decisions about your major and future career.
Networking: Connect with professionals in fields of interest. Networking can offer valuable insights into various industries and provide guidance on the skills and qualifications needed for specific careers.
Informational Interviews: Conduct informational interviews with professionals working in fields you are considering. This can provide firsthand perspectives on the day-to-day realities of different careers.
LEARN MORE about Experiential Learning, Networking, Informational Interviews on our Entering Your Career page

Remember, choosing a major is NOT a lifelong commitment. Many people pursue careers unrelated to their undergraduate majors. It's a journey of self-discovery, and you have the flexibility to adapt and evolve as you learn more about yourself and your interests.

NEXT STEPS: Career Exploration. Research potential majors and careers.
Use the following worksheet to help organize your career exploration and major possibilities.

DECISION MAKING (THINKING CAPS) WORKSHEET

SUGGESTION: It isn't about being 100% certain of your choice, but how confident you feel that the likelihood of you changing your mind is minimized. Changing our minds is normal, but consider what area of study is worth your time, money, and energy.

Career and Major Exploration Resources

Some of the resources below may provide information on occupations and majors.

Use the following worksheet to organize your Career Exploration process

DECISION MAKING (THINKING CAPS) WORKSHEET

	What can I do with this Major? Explore the various industries in and employers for which you can work with your major. You may be surprised at possibilities. Review and set goals over suggested strategies to expand your interest and gain skills in the field so you are as adequately prepared to enter the workforce upon graduating. Discover links to professional associations, the Occupational Outlook Handbook, miscellaneous resources to the field, and employment websites. Use this worksheet to help you navigate and explore this valuable resource EXERCISE: How to EXPLORE What Can I Do With This Major?
	Eureka Career Program Check out assessments such Inner Heroes, How Do I Learn?, What Are My Values?, MicroSkills, True Colors, and Occ-U-Sort to match your skills, personality and talents to possible careers that may be of interest to you to explore further. Enter the following site code to access Eureka to create your own account Site code for ECC Students: PQINZGF
	Career Cruising Log in using the following username and password. You can then create your own account to save any materials on Career Cruising Login username: elcaminocollege Password: career A comprehensive and interactive career guide resource that provides information such as job description, working conditions, earnings, education, sample career path, and more. Assessments match your likes and dislikes, skills, and learning styles to find careers that align with your interests.
	Roadtrip Nation Use Roadtrip Nation to define your interests and what “lights you up at your core” and discover leaders in various fields that mirror these aspects of you to learn personalized accounts about careers.
	the muse Explore the variety of articles with advice related to career exploration by the muse
	O'Net This online occupational database has extensive details on various tasks and responsibilities for each occupation. Find sample reported job titles to expand your job search, technology skills, knowledge, activities, and more.
	Occupational Outlook Handbook Information on occupations, working conditions, labor market, training and education, job outlook, and current earnings for different occupations in the United States
	Career Coach Career Coach has information on occupations within various career areas, a resume builder and a simple assessment to find matching occupations that may be of interest to you. Explore occupational information on daily tasks, education, wages, employment projections, actual job postings, and more.
	California Career Zone A career resource program provides comprehensive information for 900+ occupations. Includes self-assessment modules to help define possible interests, work importance and skills. Check out financial literacy tool “Budget your Life” to determine the kind of lifestyle you want, what area, the budget you’ll need and the kinds of occupations with salaries that can lead to sustainable living wages.
	Learn How To Become… Provides in-depth career guides with in-depth data and information gathered by experts in their fields for various career fields.
	Directory of Professional Associations Directory of Associations has over 35,000 local, regional, and national professional associations. You can filter to sort by type, category, size, and state.
	Career Coach (CCC) Use the CCC Career Coach to research occupations and discover which California Community Colleges may offer programs that relate or lead directly to such occupations.
	El Camino College Library Career & Job Resources Research Guide El Camino College Library Career & Job Resources Research Guide provides an overview of library resources that can help you explore careers and your interests, research how to write resumes and cover letters, prepare for the job interview process, and more.

Meta Major Resources

ECC Meta-Majors are groups of related majors with similar requirements, outcomes, or methodologies.

REVIEW the following document to see what departments are under which Meta-Major

ECC Meta-Majors

View major and career exploration courses list and resources related to your meta-major in the corresponding drop-down menus below

Major and Career Exploration Courses for Behavioral and Social Science Meta-Major

ECC Information on Child Development Permits	ECC Information on Child Development Permits Learn about the education requirements for the various child development permits for positions such as Assistant, Associate Teacher, Teacher, Master Teacher, Site Supervisor, and Program Director
	Careers in Psychology Discover careers paths within psychology that include psychologist, counseling, therapy and social work.
	Careers in Education Explore career options within teaching, education, and administration throughout the United States.
	www.Edjoin.org Number one job site for finding a job within education
	Teach California "California faces a shortage of special education, mathematics, and science teachers. With a special focus on these shortage areas, the TEACH California Website is designed to recruit individuals to the profession of teaching, explain the teacher preparation process, assist prospective teachers in creating their plan to become credentialed teachers, provide relevant content, partner with related public and non-profit entities, and offer links to important resources. The TEACH California Website is the California Department of Education's (CDE) primary Web effort for recruiting individuals to the teaching profession."
	Teacher Certification Degrees Learn about California Teaching requirements

Major and Career Explorations Courses for the Business Meta-Major

El Camino College Small Business Development Center

"The SBDC is the SBA’s largest service program and provides high quality business & economic development assistance to small businesses & entrepreneurs. We provide no-cost business advising and low-cost training to existing and new businesses."

National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies

Discover information on Cybersecurity Careers

https://thebestschools.org/careers/best-business-jobs/

Major and Career Explorations Courses for Creative Arts Meta-Major

Gateway courses are courses that can serve as introductory coursework to help you learn and explore the major.

Music & Dance Program Gateway Courses

Field Relevant Resources

	The Art Career Project Explore hundreds of art careers, find art schools, jobs and inspiration. It provides detailed guides to provide essential road mps for the tools, skills and knowledge needed to build a career with longevity and meaning.
	Berklee Career Center “The Berklee Career Center is organized around seven career communities designed to connect you to real-world career paths, industries, resources, and programs related to your passions and interests.”

Major and Career Explorations Courses for Health and Community Wellness Meta-Major

	Pre-Health (Resources) at CSULB Explore CSULB's Pre-Health valuable resources and documents to learn about various health professions and the healthcare field
	Explore Health Careers Explores careers in medicine, healthcare, occupational therapy, physical therapy, allied health and more.
	Health Care Pathways Explores pathways and careers within health care that range from direct patient care, healthcare facility
	Given the high interest in the Sonography field, please use the search tool from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) to find accredited Diagnostic Medical Sonography programs and other Allied Health programs. Please note that ECC’s Radiologic Technology program does NOT prepare students for the Diagnostic Medical Sonography field. Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)
	From their About page "The Health Workforce Initiative (HWI) is a program of the Workforce and Economic Development division of the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office." Come review their CAREER PATHWAY RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS for information on various healthcare professions and fields including Dental Hygienist, Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Medical Assisting, Pharmacy Technician, Physical Therapist Assistant, Radiologic Technology, Registered Nursing, Respiratory Care Therapy and more.

More Field Relevant Resources

UCLA Care Extender Program
https://www.uclahealth.org/careextender/care-extender-program

Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
https://dhs.lacounty.gov/harbor-ucla-medical-center/volunteer-services/
Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
1000 W. Carson Street. Torrance, CA 90502
Volunteer Office - 310-222-3258

Additional Volunteer Opportunities at UCLA:
https://www.uclahealth.org/communityengagement/volunteer-opportunities

USC Hospital Volunteer Program: https://www.keckmedicine.org/volunteer/

LAC+USC Medical Center Volunteer Program:
https://dhs.lacounty.gov/lacusc/volunteer-services/

Children's Hospital LA Program
https://www.chla.org/volunteering-our-hospital

Kaiser Permanente Volunteer Services:
https://thrive.kaiserpermanente.org/care-near-you/southern-california/los-angeles/community-events/volunteer-services/

Red Cross Volunteer Positions:
https://www.redcross.org/volunteer/volunteer-role-finder.html

Public Safety Regulatory Agencies:

POST (Peace Officer Standard and Training)

https://post.ca.gov

State Fire Marshal

https://osfm.fire.ca.gov/divisions/state-fire-training/

LA County EMS

https://dhs.lacounty.gov/more-dhs/departments/ems/

California Law Enforcement Jobs:

https://post.ca.gov/Law-Enforcement-Jobs

National Police Jobs:

https://www.police1.com/police-jobs/search/

National Fire Jobs:

https://www.firerescue1.com/firefighter-careers/

Federal Jobs (great for almost every program in ITEC and HSA):

https://www.usajobs.gov

Government Jobs:

https://www.governmentjobs.com

Major and Career Exploration Course for the Industry and Technology Meta-Major

Architecture Flyer

Architecture Roadmap

Major and Career Explorations Courses for Languages, Composition, and Journalism Meta-Major

Helping English Majors Pivot from College to Career: Presentation
What can you do with an English major: Norton's English Majors Career Poster

Major and Career Exploration Courses for STEM Meta-Major

	Pre-Health (Resources) at CSULB Explore CSULB's Pre-Health valuable resources and documents to learn about various health professions and the healthcare field
	Explore Health Careers Explores careers in medicine, healthcare, occupational therapy, physical therapy, allied health and more.
	Health Care Pathways Explores pathways and careers within health care that range from direct patient care, health care facility
	Cyber Degrees EDU Learn about cybersecurity and computer science programs and careers.
	ACS Chemistry for Life Learn about chemistry professions in industry, academia, government, nonprofit, and entrepreneurship.
	REU Sites Suggested especially for biology majors to gain research experience for graduate school
	National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies Discover information on Cybersecurity Careers