A hands-on, interactive lesson guiding middle school students to explore the core differences between college and trade school pathways. Through a self-guided station rotation, students analyze learning styles, costs, program durations, and career matches to chart their own potential futures.
Assemble in teams of 3 or 4 to explore the room together.
03
Investigate
Visit stations 1–4. Solve the riddles, examine the data.
04
Decide Path
Fill in your personalized final trajectory map!
You will have exactly 7 minutes at each station. Listen for the timer bell to rotate!
Your time starts now! Be curious, seek your future path. Slide 5 of 5
Civil Engineer
Designs city infrastructure, bridges, roads, and calculates structural math formulas on computers.
Trade Path (1–2 Years)
Commercial Welder / Pipefitter
Works outdoors or on-site to physically weld and assemble steel structures, bridges, and building frames.
College Path (4+ Years)
Software Developer
Studies computer science theories, programs massive systems, and codes algorithms for platforms.
Trade Path (1–2 Years)
Cybersecurity Specialist
Enrolls in vocational programs to protect networks, block hackers, and monitor threat portals in real time.
College Path (4+ Years)
Veterinary Scientist
Attends vet medical school to diagnose animal medical conditions, prescribe medication, and perform surgeries.
Trade Path (1–2 Years)
Licensed Veterinary Technician
Undergoes 2-year certification to handle, treat, nurse animals, run tests, and assist vets directly.
College Path (4+ Years)
Aeronautical Engineer
Designs aircraft structures, simulates flight dynamics, and calculates aerodynamics on complex software.
Trade Path (1.5 Years)
Aviation Maintenance Tech
Works directly on real airplanes to service jet engines, repair landing gear, and ensure systems are flight-ready.
Detective Challenge
On your worksheet, select ONE matchup and explain which specific role sounds more exciting to you. Do you prefer the **designer/planner** role or the **builder/practitioner** role?
Let's follow two high school graduates, Maya and Leo, to see how different paths play out over their first five years in the workforce.
M
Maya (College Grad)
Maya attends a 4-year state university. She graduates at age 22 with a Bachelor's Degree in Business and **$40,000 in student debt**.
• Age 22–23: Starts first job earning $65,000.
• Debt Payment: Pays $400/month to loans.
• Savings: Lower starting savings due to loans.
L
Leo (Trade Grad)
Leo attends a 1.5-year technical school. He graduates at age 20 as an Electrician with **$15,000 in student debt**.
• Age 20–21: Starts first job earning $55,000.
• Debt Payment: Pays $150/month to loans.
• Savings: Builds $15,000+ in bank by age 22.
Detective Challenge
At age 22, Leo has already been working and earning for 2 full years. Maya is just starting her very first job. Calculate how much total money Leo has already made in wages while Maya was studying. Write the total on your worksheet.
