Matching Career Interests for StudentsJuan Alba, DirectorCollege Board

I. Introductions and Overview

II. The Changing Landscape

III. Preparing Students for the Future

IV. Resources and Tools

Agenda

• Review and discuss career exploration data for middle and high school students

• Examine career exploration information to incorporate into the school counseling program

• Review ready-to-use tools and resources that engage students in the career exploration process.

Objectives

• Career– The lifetime pursuits of an individual

– OR

– The roles individuals play over their lifetime … including leisure and community service, as well as other activities

• Career Choice– Decisions that individuals make at any point in their careers about

particular work, leisure, or other activities

A Common Language

• Work – Purposeful activity to earn money and possibly to produce a product or

service

• Jobs– Positions requiring similar skills within one organization

• Occupations – Similar jobs found in many organizations

• Livable Wage– Differs from Minimum Wage.

• Gainful Employment– 9 Components (Safe working environment, Income necessary to support

oneself, Satisfaction/Happiness)

A Common Language

The Changing Landscape

I. How you were introduced to career exploration?

II. When were you introduced learning about career paths?

Guiding Questions

Educational Demand for Jobs

Fastest Growing Jobs

Fastest Growing Jobs

It is a New Day…

• Social Media Manager

• App Designer

• Offshore windfarm engineer

• Bloggers

• Community managers or content managers

• Green funeral directors

• Interior Redesigners

• Patient care advocates

• Social media strategists

• User experience analyst

• Video journalists

• Virtual business service providers

• Ensuring that today's students have the education and

training to meet future career demands is critical to the

economic and social well-being of individuals, cities, and

the nation as a whole.

Source: Preparing Today's Students for Tomorrow's Jobs in Metropolitan AmericaLaura W. Perna, Editor

Our Charge…

“With respect to the knowledge and skills in English and mathematicsexpected by employers and college faculty (2 year, 4 year, technicalcollege), the answer is yes.”

(Achieve, Inc., 2004)

Students who choose to enter the world of work or delay postsecondary trainingafter high school graduation also need the knowledge, skills, and behaviors definedabove.

Are college readiness and career readiness the same thing?

College Ready high school graduate has the reading, writing and math knowledge and

skills to qualify for and succeed in entry-level, credit bearing, college-degree courses without the need for remedial classes.

Career Ready high school graduates can read, comprehend, interpret and analyze

complex technical materials,

can use mathematics to solve problems in the workplace, and

can pass a state-approved industry certificate or licensure exam in their field.

Source: ©The Next Generation of School Accountability: A Blueprint for Raising High School Achievement and Graduation Rates in SREB States, 2009.

Are college readiness and career readiness the same thing?

Source: The National Center for Higher Education Management Systems Progress and Completion Data

Why is college readiness important?

1. Strong Work Ethic

2. Positive Attitude

3. Good Communication Skills

4. Time Management Abilities

5. Problem-Solving Skills

“Soft Skills” for Success

6. Ability to work in a team

7. Self-Confidence

8. Accept & Learn from Criticism

9. Flexibility/Adaptability

10. Working Well under Pressure

Preparing Our Students for the Future

I. What process did you use to determine your career path? Who/what influenced you?

II. From that vantage point, what career options were available to you or your generation?

Discussion

Who will pay?

Passions

Making a Career Decision

What are you good at?

Assessment Data Contributes to 2 areas:

• What are you good at?• Passions

Job, Career, and Occupation Data:

• Current • Accurate• Available • Useful

• Step One: – Awareness – Knowledge – Assessment

• Step Two: – Educational Exploration– Occupational Exploration – Review Occupational Data

• Step Three: – Career Planning

Steps in the Career Planning Process

Elementary

Academic Foundation

Career Awareness

Middle

Academic Foundation

Career Awareness

Self Assessment

High School

Academic Preparation

Occupational Preparation

In-depth Career Exploration and Assessment

Post-Secondary Options

Four Year College or University

On-the-Job Training Or Military or Registered Apprenticeship

Two-Year College Or Technical College

Career Opportunities

Preparing Students for the Future

• Grades 6-12

• Each contains at least 36 session plans

• Designed to help school staff facilitate an advisory program that leads students on the pathway to success in college and career.

College Board Advisory Session Guides

bigfuture.collegeboard.org

5 Ways to Find Career Ideas

1. Think about what you love

2. Identify defining experiences

3. Create a self-portrait

4. Consider your strengths and weaknesses

5. Explore careers

Multi-Level Activity for Students

• Choosing an occupation which has a personality type that is the same as, or similar, to yours.

• Uses the Holland Codes theoretical framework.

• Most likely to lead to job satisfaction and success.

• The Reality … most of us are more than one type!

What does RIASEC mean?

• Realistic

• Investigative

• Artistic

• Social

• Enterprising

• Conventional

Personality types - RIASEC

Career Clusters

and

Career Pathways

Career Clusters

Career Clusters: 16 broad groups of occupations and industries.

Career Clusters are subdivided into Career Pathways

Health Sciences – Therapeutic Services

– Diagnostic Services

– Health Informatics

– Support Services

– Biotechnology Research & Development

Career Clusters

Resources and Tools

Self Assessment and Interest/Values Inventories

– Keirsey Temperament Sorter (Keirsey.com)

– Holland Career Test (Truity.com)

– The RIASEC Test (mynextmove.org)

Career and Occupational Information

– Careeronestop.org (U.S. Department of Labor)

– Occupational Outlook Handbook (Bureau of Labor Statistics)

– College Board – www.bigfuture.collegeboard.org

– Road Trip Nation – www.roadtripnation.org

Career Counseling Resources

• Empowers students to map their interests to future pathways in life.

• The heart of this experience is students exploring their communities and speaking with local leaders to learn the steps that they took to get to where they are today.

• 12 online lessons and local Roadtrip Project guide students through a journey of self-discovery.

Roadtrip Nation

Roadtripnation.com

Big Future – Explore Careers

bigfuture.collegeboard.org

• Handouts and posters

• Site demos and lesson plans

• Presentations

• Spanish-language resources

• Webinars – live and recorded

Big Future – Educator Resource Center

bigfuture.collegeboard.org

Thank you!