Plan your future with My Next Move
Are you interested in exploring your career options but
aren't sure how to go about it? Check out My Next Move,
an online tool that offers a variety of user-friendly ways
to browse more than 900 occupations.
The website, created by the National Center for
O*NET Development for the U.S. Department of Labor's
Employment and Training Administration, lets you
choose one of several search methods. If you have a
general idea of what you want to do or have a "dream
career," then search by keyword. If you know that you
want to work in a particular industry, such as education,
then search by industry. And if you aren't sure what you
want to do, you can answer questions about your preferences—such as working in a biology lab or managing
a clothing store. Your online responses will help you
to identify your career interests. You can also browse
for careers by choosing among occupations that are
projected to grow, are part of the "green" economy, or
include a registered apprenticeship.
Whether you search or browse, you'll get a list of
occupations to explore. Clicking on an occupation brings
up a one-page profile summarizing key information—such as the knowledge, skills, abilities, personality, and
education you need to do the job. The occupational profile
also includes job outlook and has links to local salary
data and job banks to search for available positions.
Start your online career search at
www.mynextmove.org.
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Physics for females
Some girls who read "Medical physicists and health
physicists: Radiation occupations," elsewhere in this
issue of the Quarterly, might like the idea of a career
in physics. Free resources available from the American
Physical Society can help set young women's physics
careers in motion.
The society's "Physics in Your Future" booklet is
designed for girls in middle and high school. It describes
the work of 15 women who use physics to solve medical
mysteries, discover planets, research new materials,
and more. Other resources include a "Women in Physics
2010" slideshow that highlights the work of women in
the field of physics; information about physics-related
scholarships, fellowships, and internship opportunities;
and links to sources that encourage the professional
development of women in physics.
To access the resources or to download or order publications,
visit the society's Women in Physics website at
www.womeninphysics.org. Or, contact the society by
writing Deanna Ratnikova, Women and Education Programs
Administrator, Education and Diversity Department,
One Physics Ellipse, College Park, MD 20740; by
calling (301) 209-3231; or by emailing women@aps.org.
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Encouraging study in critical languages
Proficiency in certain foreign languages is critical to the
defense, diplomacy, and security of the United States.
Yet relatively few U.S. students study the languages that
are spoken in many strategically important areas—such
as the Middle East, China, and Russia. To encourage
high school and college students to learn the languages
of these regions, several federal programs provide scholarships
and other funding.
For example, through the National Security Language
Initiative for Youth, high school students live with
host families abroad and learn Arabic, Chinese, Hindi,
Korean, Persian, Russian, or Turkish. Students choose a
language program for the summer, semester, or full academic
year. Most expenses are covered, including travel
to and from the host country, room and board, tuition,
and health benefits. Participants must be U.S. citizens, 15
to 18 years old, and have a grade-point average of 2.5 or
above. For more information, visit the program website,
www.nsliforyouth.org; call toll-free, 1 (866) 790-2086;
or email nsliy@americancouncils.org.
Undergraduate and graduate students may apply
for scholarships for intensive study of critical languages
overseas through the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau
of Educational and Cultural Affairs. Critical Language
Scholarship institutes provide intensive language study
and structured cultural enrichment opportunities for 13
critical languages. These institutes are for 7 to 10 weeks
each summer in 15 countries. Applicants must be U.S.
citizens, at least 18 years old, and currently enrolled in
a U.S. undergraduate or graduate degree program. For
full eligibility requirements and more information, visit
online at www.clscholarship.org, call (202) 633-5005,
or email cls@caorc.org.
Another funding source for critical language study
is the National Security Education Program of the U.S.
Department of Defense. To prepare undergraduate and
graduate students for future federal service, this program
provides training in less commonly studied languages,
including Hindi, Swahili, and Urdu. It offers scholarships
and fellowships for overseas study through Boren
Awards and intensive language study coupled with
overseas language instruction for undergraduates through
the Language Flagship program. Award requirements
and amounts vary, but recipients must commit to work for the federal government for 1 year. Training initiatives include scholarships, fellowships, and instructional programs.
For more information, visit online at www.nsep.gov/initiatives; write to the National Security Education
Program, P.O. Box 20010, Arlington, VA 22219; call
(703) 696-1991; or email nsep@nsep.gov.
Those are not the only federal scholarships and programs
available for critical language study. For example,
additional funding is provided for Gilman Scholarship
recipients studying in countries where critical languages
are spoken; students applying for the Fulbright U.S.
Student Program may also apply for a Critical Language
Enhancement Award for up to 6 months of intensive
critical language training; and the ROTC Language and
Culture program promotes critical language education,
study abroad, and intercultural dialogue opportunities
for ROTC (Reserve Officer Training Corps) college
students. To explore additional opportunities in critical
language studies, visit www.iie.org (search "critical language")
or www.state.gov/youthandeducation.
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