One of the most important decisions in people’s life is choosing their professional career, but when it happens usually we are 16 or 17 years old, almost finishing high school and that’s a very young age to have a real perspective of life so is very common to get influenced by our parents, friends, older students or the idea of what we think we will do by the moment we end it.

Most of the time, people make the wrong choice and don’t go back because of the feeling of losing time and waste the resources they have used during that time… What they do not know is that later they can lose even more having to do something they don’t enjoy, feeling bad about themselves.

Some professional’s careers like Industrial Engineering, Administration or Business are generic at least in Panama and they include general topics which could be applied in several fields, but some others are very specific so there are not many chances to explore while taking some courses like in other countries.

If we analize the education system, there’s a lot of theory and lack of practice, so is very helpful to create simulations of real situations to apply theory so young people can take informed decisions when it comes to their professional’s careers, and in short and long term it will be more positive not only for their future, but for healthier working enviroments having happy employees well located in job positions they love and feel passion about.

Nowadays, companies need well educated employees even more than ever, people who have knowledges in multiple areas but with the capacity of applying those knowledges properly… Then, is there some logic teaching so many theory in high schools and universities, studying limited areas since early ages? Of course not.

But, what can we do to help if the education system is messed up and we need young people to learn more? Well, one way is advicing young people to become volunteers in different organizations so they can play roles acoording to the situation or department they are assigned to. Other way is asking for interships in companies since high school and in every year of their careers. Besides is a great idea to talk to professionals who chose the career we are studying and are already working to find out their opinions.

One thing I know for sure: doing what you love is a necesity not a luxury, otherwise you won’t never get at the highest point of your potential, and you just will do your job as an obligation instead of see it as a lifestyle. Never forget you will spend most of your time working, it does not matter if it’s inside someone’s company or in your own business, so you better do what you love for living.

Author: Nuely C. De La Cruz Luck.