"As a society, we must take the question of 'what do you want to be when you grow up' and flip it on its head. It's a difficult question for many young people to answer and one they shouldn't have to answer on their own. We must show youth the vast opportunities that exist and explain how their current interests can lead to a rewarding career in the future," said Michael Surbaugh, Chief Scout Executive, Boy Scouts of America. "Exploring creates a foundation tomorrow's leaders by allowing youth to explore their interests, discover new talents and begin to chart a path for the future."

The Exploring program offers young people, ages 10 through 20, the opportunity to spend time in the workplace and learn directly from professionals. These youth gain valuable real-world experiences to help them determine how their interests could translate into career options. Although the Career Interest Survey primarily helps match students with the workplace experiences that best match his or her interests, survey results also point to important emerging trends about America's future workforce.

Health Care is Hot
Four of the 10 most popular career options cited by survey respondents were in the health care field, an area that is expected to grow in the coming years as the U.S. population grows older. Other science and engineering fields drew interest from 18 percent of respondents, with mechanical engineer rounding out the top 10 fields garnering the most student interest. The top 10 most popular careers include:

1.      Registered nurse

2.      Professional athlete

3.      Artist

4.      Musician/singer

5.      Athletic trainer/sports medicine

6.      Physician/surgeon

7.      Actor/Actress

8.      Veterinarian/Veterinary technician

9.      Photographer

10.    Mechanical engineer

Skilled Trades May Continue to Face Labor Shortages

Only 3 percent of survey respondents expressed interest in one of the skilled trades, and nearly half of those – 46 percent – are interested in automotive work, a field that may experience decreasing demand as vehicle technology advances.

Gender Gaps Persist in Numerous Fields
Female respondents expressed less interest in engineering, business and trades than men, while male students expressed less interest in healthcare, social services, and arts and humanities. 

• Eighteen percent of male students chose an engineering career, compared to 3 percent of females.

• Twelve percent of male respondents expressed interest in a health career compared to 40 percent of female respondents.

• Male respondents were twice as likely to choose a business career as women (14 percent vs. 7 percent).

• Young women who took the survey were 86 percent less likely than young men to say they want a career in computing – such as programming, support, analytics, and software development.

"In addition to informing career choices, the workplace experiences provided through Exploring can help debunk some of the stereotypes and social patterns that persist today," Surbaugh said.  "If we can help students see that people from all walks of life can succeed in a wide range of fields, we can open their eyes to career opportunities that they may not have previously considered."