New workbook helps students choose a post-high school path

Oreste J. D’Aversa has released a new workbook for students ages 16 to 24 that frames post-graduation options through white collar, blue collar and no collar paths. The book aims to give students, parents and educators a bias-free guide for career and life decisions as artificial intelligence reshapes the workforce.

Why it matters: - Nearly 4 million students graduate high school each year and have to make a major life decision with little structured guidance. - The workbook is designed to help students compare post-high school options without treating college as the default or skilled trades and entrepreneurship as lesser paths. - The book also addresses artificial intelligence, which is already changing career choices before many students enter the workforce.

What happened: - Certified Professional Coach and Career and Life Coach Oreste J. D’Aversa released What Do I Do After High School? White Collar, Blue Collar, or No Collar. - The workbook and lifebook is aimed at students ages 16 to 24. - The release was announced Aug. 11, 2026, from Coatesville, Pennsylvania. - The book is distributed through Amazon and Ingram Content Group and will be available at major retailers nationwide. - The paperback price is $25. - More information and a sample chapter are available at the book's website.

The details: - The book centers on The Three-Collar Framework, which organizes post-high school paths into white collar, blue collar and no collar categories. - White Collar covers professional and corporate careers. - Blue Collar covers skilled trades and hands-on professions. - No Collar covers entrepreneurs, freelancers, founders and solopreneurs. - The book says no one path is better than the others and that the right choice depends on a student's strengths, values and goals. - A full chapter is devoted to what AI means for the next generation’s future. - The workbook spans 30 chapters across three sections. - It includes 90 exercises written in the reader’s own voice. - Topics include stress and emotional resilience, values and gifts, passion and purpose, financial literacy, technology, AI, resume writing, interviewing, business networking and life planning. - The book is written for students, parents, grandparents, school counselors and educators.

Between the lines: - The release pushes back on a long-standing message that college is the primary or superior route after high school. - The framing reflects growing interest in skilled trades, self-employment and other nontraditional paths as alternatives to four-year degrees. - D’Aversa’s background in coaching young adults gives the project a counseling-and-guidance angle rather than a purely academic one. - The AI focus suggests the book is trying to prepare readers for a labor market that may shift before they make their first career move.

What's next: - Readers can access additional information and a sample chapter on the book’s website. - The book will continue rolling out through online and retail distribution channels nationwide. - D’Aversa is also promoting the book to parents, counselors and educators who influence post-high school decisions.

The bottom line: - The workbook tries to replace guesswork with a structured decision tool for one of the biggest choices high school students face.