Growing up, the question in my household was never whether my older sister and I were going to college, but rather where we planned to attend.

At the time, college was the gold standard and the expectation many families had for their children. Like many people, I grew up believing that success meant earning a four-year degree and following a traditional career path. If I am being honest, I subscribed to that mindset for many years myself. Today, however, I believe we need to broaden the conversation.

A few months ago, I had the opportunity to attend a screening of “Multiple Choice,” a documentary presented by Williamsburg-James City County Schools and the School-University Resource Network at the School of Education at William & Mary. The film highlighted an innovative approach being implemented by Winchester Public Schools, demonstrating how the district has successfully blended traditional academics with Career and Technical Education, also known as CTE.

As a parent of two very different children, the documentary immediately struck a chord with me. Hearing students talk about how CTE had changed not only their perspective on school but also their preparedness for life after graduation was both inspiring and eye-opening.

The reality is that children learn differently, and our world is changing rapidly. The acceleration of technology, particularly artificial intelligence, requires us to rethink how we approach education if we want all children to succeed. We can no longer pretend that college is the only pathway to success. The rising cost of higher education, coupled with significant student loan debt and a changing job market, has left many graduates struggling to find jobs that provide enough income to comfortably repay those loans.

Career and Technical Education offers another valuable pathway. Students gain practical, marketable skills that can serve them throughout their lives. Whether pursuing training as an emergency medical technician, welder, carpenter, nurse or countless other professions, students are positioning themselves for meaningful careers while developing skills that are less likely to be replaced by AI anytime soon.

Recently, I have had the privilege of serving on a special committee known as the Design Team, a group of internal and community stakeholders helping shape the vision and establish a WJCC Profile of a Learner, an initiative led by Superintendent Daniel Keever. Through this experience, we have explored the hopes, dreams and aspirations our community has for its young people, the skills and mindsets students need to succeed in an increasingly complex world, and how those insights should shape the learning experience for every child.

The involvement of teachers, administrators, community members, local officials, and, most importantly, students has made this an incredibly enriching process. It has also challenged me to rethink how we prepare not only our own children, but all children in our community, for the workforce of the future.

To be clear, this is not an argument against college. That should not be the takeaway. Rather, it is an encouragement for families to have honest conversations with their children about their interests, how they learn best and the opportunities that align with their strengths and aspirations. Our goal should be to ensure that every child feels seen, heard and empowered with options when considering life after high school.

We do not have to wait until our children become high school students to start these conversations. In fact, the earlier, the better. Empowering young people to take ownership of their futures and supporting whatever path is right for them, whether that leads to college, culinary school, an apprenticeship, entrepreneurship, military service or a skilled trade, strengthens both our community and our economy.

Having multiple pathways to success creates opportunities for all children to thrive and feel valued. It also helps ensure we continue to develop the workforce our communities depend upon. From nurses who help keep us healthy to electricians who keep our lights on, every profession plays an important role.

Instead of viewing career options through the limited lens of “blue-collar” versus “white-collar” work, we need a more comprehensive approach. We should value vocational training, skilled trades, entrepreneurship, industry certifications, apprenticeships and traditional higher education as legitimate pathways to success. The workforce of the future will require a variety of talents, skills and perspectives, and our educational systems should reflect that reality.

As parents, our responsibility is not simply to prepare our children for the next test, grade level, or school year. Our responsibility is to prepare them for a future that is evolving faster than any generation before them.

That means helping them discover their strengths, explore their interests and understand that there is more than one path to a meaningful and successful life. What matters most is not that our children follow the path we envisioned for them, but that they are equipped with the skills, confidence and adaptability to thrive wherever their path may lead.

As I continue this journey as both a parent and a member of the WJCC Design Team, I find myself asking a different question than the one I grew up hearing. Instead of asking our children where they plan to go to college, perhaps we should start by asking who they hope to become.

The future workforce will need doctors and electricians, pharmacists and welders, engineers and entrepreneurs. Our job is not to decide which path our children should take. Our job is to help them discover the path that is right for them and then give them every opportunity to succeed.

When we do that, we do more than prepare our children for the future. We help build stronger families, stronger communities and a stronger workforce. Ultimately, we create a future where every child has the opportunity to contribute their unique talents and where every path to success is valued.

Dr. Jade L. Ranger is a pharmacist at The Prescription Shoppe, a full-service pharmacy she owns with her husband. She is mom to two boys, ages 12 and 8 years old, and author of, “Mustard Seed Mentality,” available at Amazon.com.