Planning your future doesn't mean having all the answers today. Indiana Career Explorer gives you a free place to explore careers, compare education options, and build better questions before making important decisions.
The Indiana Department of Workforce Development describes Indiana Career Explorer as a free career and education planning tool that helps users consider careers based on their interests, work values, and abilities. Indiana’s Department of Education also identifies it as a career exploration and graduation-planning resource.
Reviewed for: 2026 career and education planning information
Last reviewed: July 2026 | Review type: Annual and data-sensitive
What changed in this update:
- The article was reviewed using current Indiana Department of Workforce Development and Indiana Department of Education information.
- Current state pages commonly abbreviate Indiana Career Explorer as “INCE.” The original video uses “ICE.”
- Some specific platform features mentioned in the video could not be confirmed through publicly accessible state pages and are marked for verification.
- Career data, wages, training programs, and platform features may change over time.
Important: Career information, wage estimates, job demand, program availability, and platform features can change. Confirm important information through Indiana Career Explorer, your school counselor, education providers, employers, or the appropriate state agency.
Quick Answer
Indiana Career Explorer is a free Indiana career-planning tool that helps students explore interests, compare careers, and research education or training options. Use it to organize your ideas—not to make final decisions for you.
Key Takeaways
- Career assessments can help you recognize your interests, work values, skills, and possible career matches.
- Career matches are suggestions to explore, not instructions you must follow.
- Review several careers instead of choosing based only on a title or estimated wage.
- Compare the education, certifications, skills, and experience commonly connected to each career.
- Bring your findings to a school counselor, teacher, parent, or trusted adult before making major decisions.
Who This Is For
Students: Use the tool to explore careers, training options, and questions about life after high school.
Parents: Use the results to support practical, low-pressure conversations about possible paths.
Counselors: Use the information as another starting point for career and academic planning conversations.
What Is Indiana Career Explorer?
Indiana Career Explorer is an online career and education planning system provided through the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.
The tool is designed to help users:
- Consider their interests and work values
- Recognize existing skills and areas for development
- Research occupations and industries
- Explore possible education and training pathways
- Build a plan around career and education goals
The state describes Indiana Career Explorer as a resource that can support users through multiple stages of career planning.
It is important to remember that career exploration is not the same as making a final career commitment. The goal is to learn more about yourself, investigate realistic options, and identify useful next steps.
Start With Career Assessments
One place to begin is with the available interest, work-value, and skills assessments.
These assessments may help you identify:
- Types of work that hold your attention
- Work environments you may prefer
- Activities that match your current strengths
- Skills you may want to develop
- Career areas that could be worth researching
An assessment is not an exam you pass or fail. It also does not determine the one career you are supposed to choose.
Your results are better treated as conversation starters.
When reviewing a result, ask:
- What parts of this career sound interesting?
- What parts do not fit me?
- Which of my strengths connect with this work?
- What skills would I need to develop?
- Do I want to learn more about this field?
Indiana’s workforce resources encourage users to assess their interests, values, and abilities before exploring occupations and building a plan.
Do Not Stop at the First Match
An assessment may suggest careers you already know and careers you have never considered.
Do not assume the first match is automatically the right choice. Open several options and compare them.
You may discover that two careers use similar skills but have different:
- Daily responsibilities
- Work environments
- Education requirements
- Schedules
- Physical demands
- Advancement opportunities
- Licensing or certification requirements
A good exploration process gives you more information before asking you to narrow your choices.
Explore Careers With Real Questions
Once you have a few possible careers, look beyond the job title.
A career title may sound interesting, but the daily work could be different from what you expect. Use the available career information to investigate what the occupation actually involves.
Questions to consider include:
- What does someone in this career do during a typical day?
- What skills are commonly needed?
- What education or training is usually expected?
- Is a license, certification, apprenticeship, or degree required?
- Where do people in this occupation commonly work?
- What related careers use similar skills?
- What is the employment outlook in Indiana?
- What wage information is available for the occupation?
Indiana Career Explorer highlights career interests, work values, industries, careers, education options, and Indiana in-demand occupations as part of its planning resources.
How to Think About Wage Information
Wage information can help you compare options, but one number should not make the decision for you.
Actual pay can vary based on:
- Location
- Employer
- Experience
- Education
- Credentials
- Industry
- Work schedule
- Economic conditions
Check whether the figure shown is an hourly wage, annual estimate, entry-level estimate, median wage, or another type of measurement.
Also compare possible earnings with the time and cost required to enter the career. A higher wage does not automatically mean the career is the right personal or financial fit.
Explore Education and Training Pathways
After identifying a career that interests you, investigate the usual preparation needed to enter that field.
Depending on the occupation, the path may involve:
- High school courses
- Career and technical education
- Work-based learning
- Industry certifications
- Apprenticeships
- Short-term training
- An associate degree
- A bachelor’s degree
- Graduate or professional education
- Licensing requirements
Indiana’s official information states that Indiana Career Explorer users can search educational programs and identify training or certifications associated with occupations.
Do not assume that every career requires a four-year degree. At the same time, do not assume that a short training program will automatically lead to a specific job or income.
Confirm program requirements directly with the school, training provider, licensing body, employer, or apprenticeship sponsor.
Connect the Tool to High School Planning
Career exploration becomes more useful when you connect it to decisions you are already making.
For example, your findings may help you discuss:
- Which high school courses support your interests
- Whether a career and technical education program fits your goals
- Which skills you need to strengthen
- Whether job shadowing could help
- Which colleges or training providers offer relevant programs
- Whether an apprenticeship or certification is worth exploring
- What questions you should ask before applying
Indiana Career Explorer can help organize this exploration, but decisions about graduation requirements and course selection should be confirmed with your school counselor or appropriate school staff.
How to Use Your Results With a Counselor
You do not have to walk into a counseling meeting with a complete life plan.
Bring a few specific findings instead.
You could say:
- “These three careers appeared in my results. Can we compare them?”
- “This occupation interests me, but I am unsure about the education requirements.”
- “Which high school courses connect with this career area?”
- “Does our school offer a related career and technical education program?”
- “Are there job-shadowing, internship, or work-based learning opportunities?”
- “What should I verify before choosing a college or training program?”
This gives your counselor more specific information to work with and can make the conversation more productive.
A Simple Career Comparison Exercise
Choose three careers that interest you.
For each career, write down:
- What the person does
- Why the career interests you
- Skills commonly needed
- Education or training required
- Available Indiana wage information
- Employment outlook
- Related programs or credentials
- One concern or unanswered question
- One person or organization you could ask for more information
Then compare the three options.
You are not trying to declare a winner. You are identifying what you know, what you still need to learn, and which option deserves a closer look.
Use Indiana Career Explorer Smartly
A career-planning tool is most useful when you actively question and verify the information you find.
Use these practices:
- Complete assessments honestly rather than choosing answers that sound impressive.
- Save several career possibilities instead of focusing on only one.
- Compare daily responsibilities, not just career titles.
- Review education and training requirements carefully.
- Check when wage and outlook information was updated.
- Confirm program details directly with education or training providers.
- Revisit your plan as your interests and experiences change.
- Discuss major decisions with trusted people who understand your circumstances.
What to Watch For
Career exploration tools can provide useful direction, but they also have limits.
Watch for these common mistakes:
Choosing Based Only on Salary
Estimated pay matters, but it does not describe the work environment, schedule, physical demands, stress level, advancement opportunities, or personal fit.
Treating an Assessment Like a Final Decision
Assessment results reflect your answers at one point in time. Your preferences and skills may develop through classes, work experience, volunteering, and other activities.
Assuming Every Program Is Available Everywhere
Education and training options vary by school, provider, region, and year. Confirm current availability directly with the organization offering the program.
Ignoring the Details Behind Career Data
A statewide estimate may not match the opportunities or wages in your specific community. Ask where the data comes from, when it was updated, and what the number represents.
Sharing More Information Than Necessary
Review the platform’s current privacy information before entering personal details. Students should avoid sharing account credentials, Social Security numbers, financial information, or other sensitive information unless the information is genuinely required through a verified and trusted process.
What to Do If This Happens
Your Results Do Not Feel Accurate
Review how you answered the questions and consider taking the assessment again later. You can also ask a counselor, teacher, parent, or mentor whether the results match the strengths they have observed.
You Cannot Find a Career You Are Considering
Try related titles, broader industries, or similar occupations. A school counselor or career advisor may also help you identify the standard occupational title used for that kind of work.
The Wage Information Looks Confusing
Check whether the number is hourly or annual and whether it represents entry-level, median, or experienced earnings. Compare it with another official source or ask a counselor or career advisor for help interpreting it.
A Training Program Is Listed but You Cannot Confirm It
Contact the education or training provider directly. Ask whether the program is currently offered, what it costs, how long it takes, whether it leads to a recognized credential, and whether additional licensing is required.
You Cannot Access Your Account
Use the support or password-recovery options available on the official Indiana Career Explorer website. Students using an account connected to a school should also ask their counselor, teacher, or school administrator for the correct access process.
You Feel More Overwhelmed After Exploring
Pause and narrow the task. Choose only two or three careers to investigate. Focus on one question at a time rather than trying to decide your entire future in one session.
What to Do Next
- Visit the official Indiana Career Explorer website.
- Complete an interest, work-value, or skills assessment if available to you.
- Save at least three careers that you want to investigate.
- Compare the work, skills, education, training, wages, and outlook connected with each career.
- Write down the details you need to verify.
- Bring your findings to a school counselor, teacher, parent, career advisor, or trusted adult.
- Choose one practical follow-up action, such as researching a course, contacting a training provider, arranging a job shadow, or exploring a related program.
Official / Trusted Links
Indiana Career Explorer
Use the official platform to complete assessments and explore careers, industries, education, and training.
Department of Workforce Development — Career Exploration
Use this state page to access Indiana career-planning resources and career-advisor support.
Career Explorer — Assessments
Use this section to explore career interests, workplace strengths, and work values.
Career Explorer — Education and Training Search
Use this search to explore short-term training, apprenticeships, degrees, schools, and programs.
Department Labor Statistics — Occupational Outlook Handbook
Use this federal resource to compare occupational duties, education, pay, and national employment projections.
Career Explorer — Privacy Policy
Review this page before registering or entering personal or student information.
Future Blueprint Resources
Your Future Blueprint™ resource: INDIANA PLANNING TRACK
Best Next Step
Complete one assessment, compare at least three careers, and bring your questions to a school counselor or another trusted adult to help plan your next step.
Your school counselors, teachers, and trusted mentors are a great place to start. Your Future Blueprint can serve as one additional tool for organizing your questions and planning your next step.
Counselor Share Note
This article is designed to be shared with students and families as a general career-exploration resource. Students and families should still confirm program availability, graduation requirements, education costs, career data, and account policies with official sources, school counselors, training providers, colleges, employers, licensing agencies, and other appropriate professionals.
Sources & References
Last Reviewed
July 20, 2026
Disclaimer
This content is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, tax, academic advising, career-placement, or professional advice. Career matches, wages, employment projections, training requirements, program availability, and education costs may change and do not guarantee admission, employment, earnings, certification, or career satisfaction.
Students and families should consult with school counselors, teachers, college representatives, training providers, apprenticeship sponsors, employers, licensing agencies, financial aid offices, school administrators, official agencies, or other trusted professionals before making final decisions.
Your Future Blueprint does not collect or store personal student information when readers access free content through verified K–12 school platforms. Indiana Career Explorer is a separate service. Students and families should review its Privacy Policy and Terms of Use before registering or entering personal information.
View Transcript
Transcript note:
This transcript reflects the original video content. Some platform features, career data, terminology, and education information may have changed since recording. Please use the reviewed article and official links above for current guidance.
What job do you want? What skills do you need? What pays well?
Thinking about your future can feel overwhelming, but Indiana Career Explorer can help. Let’s learn how to use this free tool.
What Is Indiana Career Explorer?
Indiana Career Explorer, also called ICE in this video, is an official online portal for career exploration and planning designed specifically for Hoosiers.
It includes tools such as IN Reality, which lets you compare the real cost of living with wages across different jobs and regions.
It is a data-driven system that can help you match your interests and skills with job opportunities and educational pathways in Indiana.
Discover Your Strengths
Not sure where to start?
Indiana Career Explorer offers free interest and skills assessments. These are not tests you can fail. They are tools designed to help you identify careers that might fit your personality, values, interests, and strengths.
It is one structured way to start figuring out what kinds of work you may enjoy.
Explore Careers and Wages
This is where Indiana Career Explorer really shines: exploring careers using real information.
You can search occupations and review career data.
For example, you could search for “electrician” in Indiana and review information such as:
Wage Data
Look at median salary information, typical starting pay, and experienced pay.
Job Outlook
Review how the occupation is expected to grow in Indiana.
Training and Education
Learn what degree, certification, training, or experience is typically needed.
Related Careers
Explore other occupations that connect with similar interests and skills.
The career information is connected with the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.
Map Your Education and Training
Once you find a career that interests you, Indiana Career Explorer can help you investigate how to prepare for it.
You may be able to explore Indiana education and training options such as:
High School Career and Technical Education Programs
These may include areas such as welding, health occupations, and other hands-on career fields.
Certifications
These can include short-term training through Ivy Tech Community College or other training providers.
Associate and Bachelor’s Degrees
You can investigate which Indiana colleges offer programs connected with particular career fields.
This can help you connect your high school choices with possible future career training.
Use Indiana Career Explorer Smartly
Connect Your High School Courses
Use Indiana Career Explorer to investigate how your current classes may align with possible careers.
Explore Options Early
Look for careers you may not have known existed.
Plan Your Future
Bring career information into conversations with your counselors and parents when discussing your goals.
This tool can help you make more informed decisions about coursework, college applications, and your plans after high school.
You may also be able to save, capture, or download parts of your plan to discuss with a counselor.
Your Indiana Career Compass
Indiana Career Explorer can serve as a free compass for exploring your future.
Use it to gain clarity, set goals, and begin identifying a path that fits you.
Your school counselors and teachers are available to guide you. If you want additional tools, Fast Track Scholar can also help you stay organized as you move forward.
