(adapted from "Woods Wisdom - Scoutmaster's Minutes")
How many of you think you know what career you will choose when you become men? Most of you have plenty of time to make up your mind, and you'll probably change your ideas before you really get serious about a career.
The reason I asked the question is that this month you have a chance to do some career exploration as we sample a few merit badges. You know, there are more than one hundred merit badges and probably half of them are related to careers. So your years in Scouting provide a great opportunity to take a close look at the world of work.
Don't miss the chance. It's a chance not only to find out which careers interest you, but it's also a chance to find out which careers you don't like. That's a good thing to find out now, if you can, so you don't spend a lot of time thinking about a career that's not for you.
If you're on the trail to Eagle - and I hope everybody here is - you have to worry about getting the required merit badges - First Aid, Safety, Camping, the three Citizenship badges, and so on. But for the other merit badges you'll need, don't just pick the ones that look easiest. Use the opportunity offered by merit badges to explore possible careers and meet the people in those professions. When it's time for you to decide on a career, you'll be glad you did.
Last Revised 12/19/01