DES MOINES, Iowa — Several area high schools are celebrating their graduates this weekend, and for those now moving into their final year of school, it’s time to think about the future.

Plenty of maroon caps and gowns at the Knapp Center Friday night, and Dowling Catholic High School held its graduation ceremony on the campus of Drake University.

While the class of 2025 gets ready to head off to college or trade school, the military, or into the workforce, high school counselors say it’s never too early for the next round of high schoolers to start thinking about the future.

And that can … at times … be pretty overwhelming.

“The fear of moving away from home, maybe, or thinking about choosing the wrong path. And it’s being in something that doesn’t take them where they want to go. I think that can cause a lot of fear. And then, you know, just getting good grades, passing courses, and being able to take the next step of going to a trade school or doing whatever they’re looking for in the future, is making sure they have what they need to do that,” said Beatrice Kramer at the Iowa Virtual Academy.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, nearly 63% of high school graduates went on to study at a 2- or 4-year college or university last year. That means many soon-to-be seniors will spend this summer and next year investigating schools in and out of state. High school counselors say it’s always important to look at the programs being offered, the size of the institution, and to get a feel for the campus by taking a visit.

However, college degrees aren’t the only option for recent graduates.

“We’re seeing more and more the need for students or people to enter the fields of trades. That’s a lot of different opportunities with vocational training. Whether it just be an apprenticeship or little training programs that are shorter and they’re not as long as maybe some of your college experiences might be. So they can start to investigate those trades, and those are a good option. And they have good salaries, so those can be beneficial for students as well,” said Kramer.

If your student really doesn’t know what they want to do, there are some online tools that can help.

Iowa Workforce Development has curated a portal of career exploration and information. Some of their features include “Hot Jobs,” which projects occupations with strong growth potential, as well as helping individuals get connected in professions that may require licensing or coursework.

The U.S. Department of Labor and the AmericanJobCenter network teamed up for CareerOneStop, which guides fresh graduates through career exploration, job training, and the job search. To explore their services, visit the CareerOneStop website.