DEED Career Pathways Exploration Worksheet Logo

  • Career Pathways Exploration Worksheet

    DEED's labor market information tool to assist those exploring and comparing careers.
    Career Pathways Exploration Worksheet

  • Below is a guide with step-by-step instructions and interactive questions to help you learn how to use and interpret DEED's Career Pathways Tool. The Career Pathways Tool helps students to explore and learn more about potential careers, including their wages, the number of jobs, and the education and/or training they typically require. With this information, you can truly choose your own adventure! If you have any questions on the worksheet or the information covered, please email Carson Gorecki: carson.gorecki@state.mn.us

  • Career Exploration Questions

    Now a few questions about your preferences and experience with finding information about careers.
  • The Minnesota Career Fields, Clusters & Pathways Wheel

  • Worksheet Activities

    The following sections include some questions that guide you through how to use the DEED Career Pathways Tool. But first, here's an intro to the tool's capabilities.
  • Screenshot of Career Pathways tool with sections and functions numbered for reference.

  • The Career Pathways Tool helps students to explore and learn more about potential careers, including their wages, the number of jobs, and the education and training they typically require. Follow the steps below to learn more! 

    First, take a second to explore the tool:

    Start by opening the tool in another tab or window: https://mn.gov/deed/data/data-tools/career-pathways-tool/

    (This is easiest on a laptop, desktop, or tablet but you can still use the tool on your phone)

    Let's familiarize ourselves with some major parts of the tool using the image above:

    1. On top are the filters for area and required education level as well as a search bar for occupations. You can use the Where Do You Live Filter to choose the Minnesota region you are interested in. The Search for Occupation bar allows you to find individual occupations and the Required Education filter allows you to filter occupations based on the typical level of education that they require.

    2. Each icon in this section represents a Career Cluster or broad grouping of occupations based on common knowledge and skills. Hover over each icon to see the name of the Career Cluster. By clicking on an icon you will limit the occupations shown in section 3 table to just that Cluster. The color of each icon corresponds to the broader Career Field it belongs to.

    3. This section contains all of the occupation information, including level of demand, occupation title, typical educational requirements, number of jobs currently filled (length of bar), career field (color of bar), and median wage (dot). If you hover over an occupation you will get a pop-up with even more information including projected employment growth and a typical wage range. Clicking on an occupation in the table will take you to a detailed career page on the CareerForceMN website that includes licensing, training, and certification info, videos, some typical work activities, and more!

    4. You can reset any of the filters by clicking again on that filter or by clicking the Reset All Filters button.

    Now that you are a pro, let's get started!

  • Let's put the tool to work!

    We will walk through the tool's features and highlight some of the useful data along the way.
  • Map of Minnesota planning regions
  • Screenshot of the Select Career Cluster function
  • Screenshot of the Radiologic Tech CareerForce occupation page

  • Diving Deeper

    Now that you are an expert navigator of the Career Pathways tool, let's dig in a little more into a few select career clusters.

  • Health Sciences Cluster

    Health science workers promote health and wellness. They diagnose and treat injuries and disease. As a physician, dentist, or nurse, you could work directly with patients. You could also work in a laboratory to get information used in research or provide administrative support by keeping medical records. Health science jobs are found at a variety of different sites. For example, you could work in a hospital, office, clinic, or nursing home. Or you could work on a cruise ship, at a sports arena, or within a patient's home. Learn more about the Health Sciences career cluster at CareerOneStop.org.

  • Manufacturing Cluster

    Manufacturing workers work with products and equipment. You might design a new product, decide how the product will be made, or make the product. You might work on cars, computers, appliances, airplanes, or electronic devices. Other manufacturing workers install or repair products. For example, you might install refrigerators or washers, repair plumbing in commercial buildings, or diagnose engine problems in cars and trucks. Learn more about the Manufacturing career cluster at CareerOneStop.org.

  • Information Technology Cluster

    Information technology workers are in a growing and always changing field. You might work with computer hardware, software, multimedia, or network systems. You might design new computer equipment or work on a new computer game. Some information technology workers support and manage computer hardware. For example, you might make sure the networks are working or manage a network that links people across the world. Or, you might support others and answer questions about specific software or hardware. Learn more about the Information Technology career cluster at CareerOneStop.org.

  • Architecture and Construction Cluster

    Architecture and construction workers work on buildings and other structures. This includes highways, bridges, houses, and buildings. You might create the designs or plans for new structures. Or, you might use the plans to build it or manage the workers on the project. Some architecture and construction workers do skilled trades, like carpentry, painting, or plumbing. For example, you might do all of the electrical work for a renovated office space. Or, you might work as a landscaper and take care of flowers and trees on large properties. Learn more about the Architecture and Construction career cluster at CareerOneStop.org.

  • Resources

    DEED and other organizations provide many resources for career explorers. For more ideas on what to think about when considering your next step after high school:

    • The Path to Career Success
    • CareerOneStop
    • O*NET Online
    • MinnState
  • Image-49
  • Should be Empty: