Excellent post @StarGamess ! Since I’ve no clue what opportunities are available to you, I’ll try to give you some generalized thoughts.
First, make a plan, and soon. Find every software firm in your area…places you can visit in person. Contact their Human Resources (HR) departments soon (don’t wait until summer break is upon you) and ask if you could visit, get a part-time summer job doing any lower-skill function, like documenting code or testing their products. Offer to work for lower wages for the exposure and experience. Compensation comes in many forms, not just the Euro, and often with greater value, if for no other reason than experience can never be taken from you. I’m in my 40’s, but management and customer skills I learned 30 years ago at a fast food restaurant stay with me and shape my leadership style even today. Take advantage of this time living at home without serious bills and/or responsibilities (a bit presumptuous on my part, but hopefully not too far off the mark). Be willing to learn all aspects of the software design lifecycle, how collaboration functions efficiently, how teams work together, bringing a broad spectrum of skills and personalities and experience to the table. Ask to sit in on team meetings, even if you’re not doing anything for the project and have nothing to contribute, just to listen and observe. Remember your place, that the professionals that work there are years ahead of you and highly talented. Be a sponge!
Second, stop playing hookie. Grow some maturity and make good decisions. This would seem to be your senior high school year, so make the most of it, because it’s not just your transcript that will gain traction with an employer or university. Attendance, completed work, letters of reference from your teachers, extra-curricular involvement…it all counts, it’s all on record, and it all matters. If you’re breezing through the regular classes, seek out advanced classes that will challenge you and make you earn it. Employers aren’t looking for drones…they’ve plenty of those. They’re looking for stars with potential, so you better look like one!
Workplace exposure will likely go a long way toward driving your choices in university, and will help you refine your goals and by extension your curriculum. When you get to university, you should have an interview with a school counselor of some sort. Share with them your summer experiences, and what you got out of them. Often those in the industry can tell you which specialties are in need, what education requirements they have, and what the compensation is generally like.
Finally, keep the big picture in view and keep focused on your goals. Don’t let the goals tunnel you in, such that you cannot be flexible in terms of path or opportunities that may present themselves, but maintain a commitment to where you want to be and what you want to be doing and what you want your life to look like 4, 10, 20 years from now.
Last thing…start planning for retirement now. Seriously. At this stage that means don’t make bad choices that will cost you financially for years. Stay away from drugs, crime, and don’t make unplanned babies. 'Nuf said.
