AlabamaMentor can serve as your child's virtual guide to academic and professional planning, helping him or her discover personal dreams while determining and achieving goals.

Tools are provided to help students with the following projects:

• Selecting a college or university
• Deciding on an academic major or trade school
• Acquiring information on the courses, grades, and scores required for the school(s) of their choice
• Developing a site at which to store information and action items
• Exploring education and career possibilities
• Understanding how to finance their dreams
• Understanding which activities can help them succeed

The AlabamaMentor Career Center provides tools that can help your child find and set a path for him or herself.

Step One: Self-Knowledge

The first step in uncovering a career path is self-knowledge. To help students learn more about themselves, the Career Center provides a Career Key. After reading the assessment, your child should have a clearer understanding of his or her interests, skills, values, and personality.

Step Two: Exploration

The List of Careers houses hundreds of career descriptions for your child's exploration. The range of careers goes from the traditional dental hygienist to the high-tech webmaster. The career descriptions include a synopsis of what it takes, both academically and practically, to work in the occupation or profession. For example, you and your child will find out which majors are preferred for your child's prospective occupation and which institutions in Alabama offer those majors.

Step Three: Game Plan

This step is the one in which you can be of most help to your child. After learning about your child's interests, you have an opportunity to brainstorm with him or her using the Career Key results as a starting point. Using the Career Matching Assistant, you can match up your child's interests with specific careers. Then think of people you know through your work, community organizations, or volunteer work who can help your child gain a clear understanding of a particular career and what it takes to enter the field. Find out if your employer offers scholarships for the children of employees. Summer jobs, internships (both paid and unpaid), and volunteer work can help your child find out if he or she is truly interested in a particular field. These forays will also help him or her create a network of contacts and build a resume for both college and work.