Career Exploration
Plan Your Education by Exploring Career Possibilities
Minnesota State consists of 26 state colleges and 7 state universities with 54 campuses across the state and educates more than 340,000 students each year. In fact, 65% of Minnesota resident students are pursuing an undergraduate credential at a Minnesota State college or university and job placement in a related field of study is 89.5%. Minnesota State has the people, places, and programs to help you succeed.
Skill Up
Do you need a new plan because your life circumstances have been changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic? Look at the skills you have now and see if they transfer to another job. Find short-term training options that can help you make a career change.
CAREERwise
Are you considering college but not sure what you want to do? Visit CAREERwise to explore career options, plan your education, and learn about the job market.
Continuing Education
Maybe you already have a degree or career, but want to learn a new skill or work toward your next promotion?
Through our colleges and universities at Minnesota State, you can take affordable, short-term, non-credit courses or workshops.
Career Centers
Looking for work, an internship or apprenticeship? Perhaps you need help or information to discover what careers are right for you?
Each Minnesota State college and university has a career center, where you can find career counselors, job postings of local employers, and more.
Find Career Planning Information For ...
Find interactive tools to help you explore career options and prepare for a successful job search.
Explore Careers
- Career Videos
Find career videos organized by career cluster for over 800 different careers. Each video is 1 - 2 minutes in length. - Interest Assessment
Use this assessment to learn which careers match your interests. You can find more assessments to help you explore careers on CAREERwise.
Set Goals
- Reality Check Tool
What does it cost to live in your city of choice? What salary would you like to have? Which career will give you the lifestyle that you want? This interactive tool will help you achieve your desired lifestyle through career choices and training or education. -
Career SMART Goals Worksheet
This worksheet guides students and job seekers through the steps of developing a SMART career goal.- Career SMART Goal Worksheet (print version)
- Career SMART Goal Worksheet (fillable PDF)
Fillable PDFs require Adobe Acrobat Reader to work correctly. You can get Acrobat Reader for your mobile device from the App Store or Google Play.
Plan Your Education
- What Can I Do With This Major?
Learn about the career options for over 90 majors. View typical career areas, discover the types of employers, and find strategies to increase your marketability.
Manage Your Career
- GPS LifePlan Budget Worksheet
A core part of managing your career is managing your finances. Use this interactive budget worksheet to know how much money you have coming in and how you are spending it.
Find a Job
- Career Planning Workbook
Find activities to help you focus and succeed in your job search. Activity worksheets can be printed or are available as fillable PDFs. - Job Search Resources
Find employers who are hiring now, jobs that are in demand now, and resources to help you navigate your job search.
Are you looking for a good paying, stable career in your region? Learn more about what it takes to live and work in each of Minnesota's 6 planning areas. Research the cost of living. Learn about salaries. Find hot jobs in the region. Explore training options at Minnesota State.
Select the region you're interested in to get started.
Do you know what's happening within Minnesota industries?
Researching the industries Minnesota offers will make your job search more effective. Each of the industries listed below offers high pay, in-demand careers. Select the industry that most interests you to discover career options, learn about the skills and training needed, and find information about employers and jobs.
- Agriculture
Start your career in Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources (AFNR) by exploring the pathways, planning your education, and using the interactive career exploration tools. Visit AFNR Careers to get started! - Energy
Find energy career pathways at the Energy Center of Excellence. Visit Energy Careers in Minnesota to learn more about careers and jobs in energy. - Engineering
Did you know that the median annual salary for an engineer is close to $80,000? Most engineering jobs require a bachelor’s degree, while some require an associate’s degree or a high school diploma.
Visit Engineering Careers in Minnesota to research engineering careers, learn about engineering education options, and find engineering jobs. You can also find high demand engineering careers at the Engineering Center of Excellence. - Health Care
Health care is a significant segment of Minnesota's workforce that welcomes job seekers with all types of skills and interests. If you think a health care career is not for you, think again. Visit Health Care Careers in Minnesota to research careers in health care. Learn about education requirements and options. And find jobs in health care. - Information Technology (IT)
Minnesota students, career explorers, and job seekers discover successful career paths in IT. Research IT careers, learn about IT education options, and find IT jobs. - Manufacturing
Explore manufacturing careers in Minnesota. Discover the skills you need in manufacturing and find training options. - Transportation
From automotive, aviation, diesel equipment, and trucks to marine and power sports, truck driving and more, Minnesota offers a wide variety of transportation careers.
Research transportation careers, learn about transportation education options, and find transportation jobs on Transportation Careers in Minnesota.
Use these tools to help guide your students to explore, plan, and guide their way to the perfect career.
- CAREERwise Resources for Career Counselors
- Career Planning for People with a Criminal Conviction | Resources for Career Counselors
- GPS LifePlan helps students set goals and design plans for their future success.
News and Events
Keep up with the latest trends in career exploration, education, and job searches. Sign up for the CAREERwise email newsletter.
Get Help
Do you need help with your career plan? CAREERwise representatives are waiting to assist you. Chat with us at the Info Hub.
Toll-free: 833-905-WORK
International: +1-651-5568456
MN Relay: 800-627-3529
