1. Making decisions about your future can feel overwhelming - maybe you’re not sure what you want to do, or can’t
imagine your life beyond high school. Believe it or not, you don’t have to know exactly where you want to end up to
start yourself on the right path. Here are few reasons to stop freaking out and rethink your fear of the future.
HERE’S WHY DECIDING
your endorsement or major
ISN'T
THE END
OF THE WORLD.
STEM
MULTI-
DISCIPLINARY
PUBLIC
SERVICE
BUSINESS
& INDUSTRY
ARTS &
HUMANITIES
SELECT YOUR PATH.
ANXIETYPRESSURE UNCERTAINTY
BUT THE TRUTH IS THERE IS NO WRONG PATH.
CAREERS and COLLEGE MAJORS often DON'T MATCH.
IT TAKES ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE
TO MAKE A SUCCESSFUL COMPANY,
NO MATTER THE INDUSTRY OR FIELD.
YOUR EDUCATIONAL FOCUS,
DOESN'T FINALIZE YOUR DESTINY.
WHY IT'S GOING TO BE ALRIGHT
In 2014, Texas public high schools adopted the Foundation High School Program. The new
program introduced new requirements for students enrolling in high school. Along with the
22-credit core curriculum, students also select from five focused paths called endorsements.
TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL ENDORSEMENTS
For the first time, students entering 9th grade must select a focus for their high school career.
THE FEAR OF THE FUTURE STARTS (EARLY)
AND SO ARE THE FEELINGS THAT COME WITH IT:
63% of STEM college graduates,
end up in non-STEM career fields,
such as construction.
48% of people with
a career in construction
have a STEM-related degree.
63%
48%
For example, getting a
STEM-related degree
DOESN’T MEAN YOU’LL
END UP IN A LAB COAT.
Many STEM-graduates
make their careers in
non-STEM industries.
+ + + + + +
DIVERSE OPPORTUNITIES are in EVERY INDUSTRY.
Selecting an ENDORSEMENTis similar to selecting a COLLEGE MAJOR.
Let’s take a construction management company, for example.
WHAT JOBS MAKE UP A CONSTRUCTION COMPANY?
PERCENTAGE OF COMPANY BY DEPARTMENT | TOTAL NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: 370
78% Construction Operations
Common Degree: B.S. in Construction Management
Typically college educated, construction project managers &
superintendents love tackling tough projects and are often out
in the field.
8% Off-site Project Support
Common Degree: Associates in Business Management
Back at the office, administration professionals manage, organize,
and execute construction documents. An admin can work in just
about any industry so long as they are organized, a good listener,
and detail-oriented.
5% Estimating
Common Degree: B.S. in Construction Science
The estimators work behind computers and focus on the num-
bers behind a construction project. Their role requires them to
be quick, confident, and thorough.
3% Internal Support
Common Accounting Degree: B.B. in Administration
Common HR Degree: B.A. in Communications
Every major company will have a Human Resource (HR) &
Accounting department. There common function is to support
the internal operations of what makes a company function. An
HR job will typically have a lot more one-on-one interaction
with new hires and employees, while Accounting does most of
their work solo at a desk.
2% Safety & Risk Management
Common Degree: B.B. in Management
Safety is big business in construction. Safety professionals
must be dedicated to enforcing OSHA safety standards on
job-site & educating staff year-round.
2% Marketing & Biz Development
Common Degree: B.A. in Communication or B.B.A.
These departments work together to win construction
projects for the company. They drum up business by thinking
creatively. They also manage the brand image internally &
2% Technology
Common BIM Degree: B.S. in Construction Science
Common IT Degree: B.S. in Computer Information Systems
The Rest of the Pie
Each additional department has a differ-
ent skill set and role to play in making
the company function successfully. The
individuals within each department will
have had very different career paths,
some with or without degrees.
1 construction firm
370 employees
14 departments
Biggest Piece of the Puzzle
While a majority of the company is
made up of people managing projects
in the field, that department is only
one piece of the puzzle.
A construction firm will have two different tech departments.
The BIM departments use building modeling software to
create visual 3-D models of buildings. The IT department man-
ages the technology used day-to-day by the entire company.
HOW TO LOSE THE FEAR,
AND EMBRACE THE UNKNOWN.
3 THINGS TO DO INSTEAD OF WORRY
JOERIS.com
Sources:
HOUSE BILL 5: FOUNDATION HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM. TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY, N.D. WEB. 27 JULY 2016.
WHERE DO COLLEGE GRADUATES WORK?: A SPECIAL FOCUS ON SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND
MATH. REP. U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, 2012 AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY., N.D. WEB.
ELLARD, D. (2016, JULY 26). PERCENTAGE BY DEPARTMENT REPORT, JOERIS GENERAL CONTRACTORS.
Additional Resources:
EMPLOYMENT PROJECTIONS -- 2014-24. REP. U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, 8 DEC. 2015. WEB. 25 JULY 2016
“HOW WE ORGANIZE PROJECTS.” SERVICES. JOERIS GENERAL CONTRACTORS, N.D. WEB. 27 JULY 2016.
Visual Sources:
“ALIEN EMOJI” COLLECTION BY MOHAMAD SABBAGH FROM THE NOUN PROJECT.
“TECH LEAF CIRCUIT” ICON BY FRANK AMEKA FROM THE NOUN PROJECT.
“SOCIAL CARE” ICON BY DIEGO NAIVE FROM THE NOUN PROJECT.
“SWIRL CIRCLE” ICON BY RFLOR FROM THE NOUN PROJECT.
“GLOBAL SETTINGS” ICON BY CREATIVE STALL FROM THE NOUN PROJECT.
“PENCIL STAR” ICON BY DAN CHRISTOPHER FROM THE NOUN PROJECT.
ICONS ADAPTED FOR INFOGRAPHIC BY SELENA MARQUEZ.
YOUR FUTURE IS BRIGHT, EVEN IF YOU CAN’T PICTURE IT IN DETAIL.
KEEP AN OPEN MIND
(even to industries you
haven't considered.)
LOOK for GROWTH
OPPORTUNITIES
Desire more knowledge.
Take on challenges.
TUNE into WHAT
MAKES YOU HAPPY
Trust yourself.
Don't ASSUME it's not for you. If you enjoy it, it’s worth pursuing.