You matter to God, and so do the details of your education
While selecting a certificate during your second term of PathwayConnect, you will use My Career Path, found under “Academic Planning” in your BYU-Pathway Portal. This tool will help you explore several career options and discover which certificates and degrees will best help you get there.
If you haven’t decided which route to take in your education, My Career Path will introduce you to the different certificates you could start in PC 103 and what degrees and jobs they will lead to. Using this tool is a great way to visualize your future and understand how certificates help you reach your goals.
Certificates offered through BYU-Pathway are categorized as introductory or advanced. For your first certificate, only introductory certificates are available, which you will see in My Career Path. If an advanced certificate interests you, prepare now to take it by learning which certificates you’ll need to take first. You can find the program requirements in My Career Path or on BYU-Pathway’s
If you are still stumped about which certificate to choose after exploring My Career Path, try these two activities!
Try it on
If you want to learn more about your possible certificate choices, then explore certificates like you’re trying to find an outfit for an important event such as a date or interview. Finding an outfit to wear for those events sometimes requires imagination and trying on a lot of different options until you find the right combination.
In this activity, “try on” the certificate by imagining yourself already having and using the skills in your everyday life. Then, as you go through your day at work and home, find ways you could use those skills. After a few days of “trying it on,” reflect on what you learned and decide if it’s a good fit for you.
Work backwards
When solving a problem, knowing your end goal and working backward to determine where to start can be easier than starting at the beginning and trying to find the end. The same can be true for finding a certificate.
- Decide your goal or dream you want to accomplish. This could be anything from opening your own business to earning a promotion at work.
- Identify the skills and steps you need to reach that goal. It may be helpful to interview someone who is already where you hope to be and ask for their advice through an
informational interview . - Select a certificate with the skills you need to help you achieve your goal.