Career Connections: Student Resources

Happenings

  • WHS Welcomes the CBIA Manufacturing Bus Tour

    Westbrook High School was selected to participate in the annual Connecticut Business and Industry Association Manufacturing Bus Tour.  Approximately 30 participants from Business, Industry, and Education will be welcomed to tour the WHS Robotics and Metals Fabrication and Welding labs to learn how Westbrook is working with its industry partners to prepare students for the manufacturing workforce.  Career/technical education students from business, culinary, robotics, and metals will participate and network with industry partners.

    Career Connections

  • Juniors visit Aerospace Alley Career Fair

    Juniors are invited to participate in this field trip at the Hartford Convention Center where they will learn about careers in the aerospace industry.  Over 100 aerospace components manufacturers will be on hand.  

    Career Connections

  • ASVAB Career Exploration Program Assessment

    Students in grades 10 through 12 are invited to participate in the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery).  This is the exam given by the military to determine both military entrance and job placement.  The ASVAB is also an excellent tool for students who want to discover the career field that is best suited for them.  Westbrook HS offers the ASVAB as an Option 8 assessment, which means military recruiters will not receive student scores unless students specifically request it.  See Ms. Carson for more information.  

    Career Connections

  • The Boat Next Gen Night #1

    This work-based learning event is held over two nights--November 16 and November 18, after school.  Students interested in learning about a career in the trades with Electric Boat are encouraged to participate. Classes are taught by Electric Boat supervisors and instructors, so this is a great chance to impress a potential future employer.  You will have an opportunity to practice welding, electrical, sheet metal, machining, pipefitting, and shipfitting.   You must commit to both nights.  The school van leaves the school at 2:45 and returns at approximately 7 p.m.  There is no charge.  See Ms. Carson if you are interested.  Space is limited.

    Career Connections
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Explore Career Options with Ten Career Navigation Questions*

 

As you enter your career journey, reflect on the following ten questions.  These questions contribute to your sense of career direction--what you want to do and how to go about getting there once you decide.  Consider taking some time to answer these questions in a career journal.  

Question 1.  What is my "why"? It is important to find work that you care about.  The first factor is figuring out how earning money can help you accomplish certain goals or desires.  In other words, what is  your purpose for earning money?  Second, there may be a cause or problem in the world that really tugs at your heart.  Does this cause offer clues to career directions you can take?  Finally, finding your "why" is understanding the innate benefit that each job or career path brings to the world, whether the job is a private-sector job or working in a nonprofit organization.  

Question 2.  Do I believe in my ability to succeed?  Do you have a growth mindset or a fixed mindset?  Do you believe that with sustained effort and experience you can cultivate success (growth mindset), or do you avoid challenges and avoid risks because you think something that is hard to do means you are not able to do it (fixed mindset)?  

Question 3.  What are my natural talents and aptitudes?  Strong aptitudes are natural abilities that make it easier for a person to learn and be good at certain types of work.  Taking the ASVAB test in November 2025 can help you identify which aptitudes are strongest and which are weaker.  DIscovery of your aptitudes allows you to explore a wider range of careers in which you might be able to excel.

Question 4.  What is my work personality and preferred work environment?  The Naviance Career Key tool helped you discover the Holland Code category that best fits you:  Realistic (hands-on and active), Investigative (requiring intellectual effort to student, conduct research and hypothesize), Artistic (expressive through music, visual arts, writing), Social (helping, teaching, supporting), Enterprising (competing, leading, influencing, and/or Conventional (organizing, creating, and flowing routines).  This simple Naviance tool assists in making you more aware about the kinds of activities and tasks you like to do, and how those preferences can play out in different occupations. 

Question 5.  How much do I want and need to earn to live independently?  Developing a basic degree of financial literacy is a key factor in being able to navigate your career path.  You need to learn how to create a personal budget, understand the basics of payroll withholding and taxes, save and invest money, and avoid taking on too much high-interest credit card debt or car loan payments.  Depending upon where you decide to live, the cost of living will affect how much you will need to earn to make ends meet and to put some aside for savings.  The Living Wage Calculator from MIT provides a useful benchmark for how much an adult needs to earn to live on their own or to head a household with different numbers of children.  

Question 6.  Where do I want to live, and am I willing to move?  Where you live is a personal choice, but it is also impacted by the availability of good jobs.  This is very important factor to consider as you weight the relative pros and cons of different careers.  

Question 7.  How much time am I willing to put into preparation for a particular career? When you are considering different career options, how much time, effort, and money are you willing to invest to get what you want?  Do you need to get into the workplace right now and plan to work, earn, and learn along the way?  Or am I willing to wait four years (or longer) to defer career-level earnings before I enter the field?  Questions you need to ask yourself:  Can I apply myself to studying for the next one, two, four or more years?  Can I see a career path relating to what I plan to study? Is the investment of time worth it for me to find  a personally meaningful career path?

Question 8.  How much money am I (or my family) willing to put into preparation for a particular career?  About half of college students take out loans and when they stop going to school, they have to begin repayment on those loans.  For each potential career path, you need to know several facts:  What are the average earnings in this career path, especially in my region?  What are my entry-level earnings likely to be once I finish the college or training program?  Do I need to go somewhere outside of my region to begin my career? How many jobs in this career are likely to be available? How much money will I have to borrow and what will be my monthly repayment rate?  How much of my entry-level earnings will be taken up by loan repayments, and will I have enough to pay for my other essential needs?  You need to start with a strong plan to finish with success.

Question 9.  What do I want most from work?  Another way of asking is, "What do I value in the workplace itself?"  The Theory of Work Adjustment suggests there are six work values that may be of greater or lesson importance to a person, but you will be happiest in a workplace that matches your personal work values.  The work values identified in this theory are:  Achievement, Working Conditions, Recognition, Relationships, Support, and Independence.  There is a free survey-based assessment related to this theory called the "Work Values Matcher."  Understanding these work values gives you another tool to decide between different job opportunities.  

Question 10.  In light of my answers to these questions, what is my basic career fit?  You can use technology tools like Naviance AchieveWorks Profiler, Career Cluster Finder, Strengths Explorer, and Career Interest Profiler or the ASVAB Career Exploration Assessment to begin looking at a variety of occupations that match to your natural aptitudes and interests.  By weighing all of the factors from the first nine questions and the information you discover about yourself from Naviance, you can begin to reach "for now" decisions about your best fit career path.  My "why" + belief in my abilities + My innate aptitudes + My preferred work environment = Career Options A, B, and C.  Now look at additional factors based and weigh each career option  "Does the answer weigh in favor of the career (+1), Is it neutral (+0), or does this answer weigh against the career (-1).  Weigh each of the following factors using these questions:  Where I want to live (+1, +0, -1).  How much time I will devote to school to prepare for the career (+1, +0, -1), How much money I'm able to invest in school (+1, +0, -1), How much money I need to earn (+1, +0, -1), and what I want from the workplace (+1, +0, -1).  How do the career options rank now?  If it still unclear to you what career options fit you, be sure to talk with parents, school counselors, the school's career/readiness coordinator, and other trusted adults for input on what might be the best options for you.  

Take advantage of Career Navigation Skills through Portrait of a Graduate Activities and Career-Connected Learning Activities offered at Westbrook High School give you time and opportunities to explore your best fit career options.  

* Adapted from Meeder, Hans.  Preparing Tomorrow's Workforce. YouScience Media, 2024.     

 

 

Job Board

 

 From time to time, employers contact Westbrook High school with opportunities for employment.  Stop in to see Ms. Carson with questions you may have.  Check back often, as this list will be updated when new opportunities come up.  Here is the most recent list of opportunities:

 

  • The First Church of Christ in Old Saybrook is currently hiring for Sunday Nursery school helpers from 9:30 to 12:30 on Sunday mornings. This role pays $20 an hour, Juniors and Seniors are welcome to apply to the email address below.  See the attached description before apply to kittycoyne@firstchurchsaybrook.org.  Job descriptions:   nursery job description 1.docx 
  • The Essex Steam Train is hiring for the holiday season.  They are casting Elves and Sleepy Servers for the 2026 North Pole Express.  The pay is $17.00 per hour.  You must be 16 years old or older as of November 4, 2026.  The hours are afterschool and on weekends.  Apply by emailing Joe Cassineri at jcassineri@essexsteamtrain.com.  These positions fill quickly, so apply now if you love the holidays!  
  • Honeycone Ice Cream in downtown Chester is hiring.  Honeycone accepts applications year round (and hire on a rolling basis, whenever they find the right fit!) Honeycone Ice Cream is a very high school student-friendly place to work, and can be a great first job (Applicants must be 16 or older.).  You will need to upload a resume, so see Ms. Carson during your study hall if you need help creating one. To apply,  go to their website at www.honeyconecreamco.com .
  • Dunkin' Donuts is hiring: Tyler and Natalia Fineza's parents, owners of Dunkin in more than one location,  say, "Come Run With Us!"  They are located in Westbrook, Madison, Clinton, Old Saybrook, Branford, and Groton.  They are hiring team members and shift leaders.  Ms. Carson has applications in her office, or you can text "Job" to 2036016299.  See the flyer on the Counseling Office door or in Ms. Carson's office.
  • Part time Restaurant Help Needed:  EōS Greek Bowls & Pitas at 688 Boston Post Road in Old Saybrook is seeking part time team members.  We're hiring part-time Team Members for the fall.  Training is provided, and you can find out exactly what their standards are before you take the job, so no guessing whether the job might be a good fit.  The pay is $18.00/hr to start, moving to $19.25/hr once certified after the first seven shifts. Free on-site parking. Paid sick leave begins January 1, 2027 under Connecticut law — one hour accrued per thirty worked, usable after 120 days. No health insurance or retirement plan is offered on this position.  Year-round employment, not seasonal. A student who starts in September still has hours in February. Shifts are available around a school schedule: weekday afternoons, evenings and weekends.  You must be 16 years old.  The restaurant follows the state's minor employment rules closely. Working papers required, school-night shifts end by 11 p.m., a 32-hour weekly maximum while school is in session, and no work on the power slicer or the rotisserie knife until 18. The owners would rather schedule a student too lightly than have a parent worried about it.  To apply, email eos@eosgreekbowls.com and put the role and the hours they can work in the subject line — for example, TEAM MEMBER — Fri/Sat 4-9pm. The Chief Operating Officer, Chris James, reads every email and answers within two business days.  Nobody gets ignored, which matters especially for a first job.
  • Shop Rite is seeking part time workers.  They will work with your schedule and are very flexible even if you can only work two days a week.  Stop by the store in Clinton and ask for the manager, or apply online.

Community Service Opportunities

Participating in community service opportunities is a great way to help others, but it can also be a great way to do a little career exploration too.  Community service certainly builds resumes for college and for the workforce. The National Honor Society also requires community service as a part of its application.  From time to time, Westbrook area non-profit organizations contact the school with opportunities for students to earn community service hours.  Check back when you are seeking opportunities for community service.

  • First Church of Christ of Old Saybrook would love volunteers to assist with their annual pumpkin patch starting on October 27th through October 31st.  The pumpkin patch is open from 9a.m. until 5p.m.  If you are able to assist afterschool, you can gain community service hours.   Sign up by emailing the church office at  info@firstchurchsaybrook.org

Links to Industry Career Panels

Do you want to hear about careers from Westbrook business/industry partners?  Follow the links below to view moderated industry career panels co-sponsored by Westbrook High School and Junior Achievement.

  • Click here to watch the recording of the Advanced Manufacturing Industry Panel.  Westbrook Career Connections, Junior Achievement and the Middlesex Chamber of Commerce Virtual Career Fair collaborated to produce a virtual Advanced Manufacturing Industry Panel.  Watch the recording to hear some wonderful advice from leading manufacturers in the Westbrook area.  They provide excellent advice and share opportunities for employment.   Participants included Bo Bradstreet, moderator, Executive Recruiter and Consultant, Bohan and Bradstreet; Oliver Bausch, President and Owner, Bausch Technologies; Jeff Dickey, Executive Vice President of Hydraulics, The Lee Company; Bill Neale, Director of Operations (retired) Radiall USA; and, Christopher Heyl, Vice President of Operations, CiDRA.  
  • Click here to watch the recording of the Government Employees Industry Panel.  Westbrook Career Connections, Junior Achievement and the Middlesex Chamber of Commerce Virtual Career Fair collaborated to produce this virtual Industry Panel.  Panelists provide excellent advice and share opportunities for employment.  Participants represented the U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division, the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the CT Judicial Branch, and the CT Department of Public Health.  The panel was moderated by Sumayya Ayoub, Senior Education Manager at Junior Achievement.  
  • Click here  to watch the recording of the Sports and Sports Entertainment Industry panel.  Professionals from the industry described their occupations and career journeys and gave students some important tips for career success.  
  • Consider an apprenticeship in the building trades as a post high school education option.  Apprenticeships offer tuition-free training, and you get to earn while you learn on the job.    Click here for information about apprenticeships in the construction trades (electricians, brick masons, carpenters, construction workers, boilermakers, painters, pipelayers, etc.).
  • Click here for a video of the Medical/Health Industry Panel discussion on December 10, 2019.  Professionals from the industry described their occupations and their career journeys.  Learn what you can do in high school to be successful in the field.  

Student Resources