Next Steps: Making Career Plans.

Designed to assist Frederick County (Maryland) high school students with career planning, this handbook provides information for exploring the question, "What to do after high school?" General information covers employment trends, average starting salaries, types of financial aid available, relevant Federal statutes regarding equal pay and discrimination in employment, and the Maryland Equal Pay Act. A career planning time line suggests steps to take during each high school year. Programs and resources available to the students are explained: the high school curriculum; the career center; vocational education; the vocational technical center; cooperative work study; continuing education; vocational placement; and volunteer programs. The following alternatives are also discussed: immediate employment (how to job search); the armed forces; trade, technical, and business schools; apprenticeships; and community college programs. Occupational and technical career programs available in Maryland community colleges are listed. A brief paragraph on the option of pursuing a college education concludes this handbook. (EM)