Do your homework and research on a post-secondary plan.

That was a key message from Jay Scott, Assistant Director for Career & Technical Education in the Kansas Department of Education, to students attending the academic letter banquet at Junction City High School Tuesday night.

“You need to have a plan. The days of I’ll figure it out as I go have led to a lot of angst among our young adults in the United States.” Scott encouraged the students while they’re in high school to continue to refine their plan.

He also noted, “I encourage you to make it career focused, not college focused. Focus it on your career interests, not necessarily where you want to go to college, and what basketball crowd you want to be a part of. Our students need to make better informed decisions, and you’re part of that.”

Scott encouraged the students to try as many career explorations as possible, including such efforts as job shadowing and internships. He stated that the labor market trends are increasingly requiring higher levels of post-secondary education for employment. That can include college, but also apprentice, licensing, and certification programs.

A total of 253 students were honored during the banquet for their accomplishments in the classroom.