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Empowering Middle School Students with Early Education and Career Exploration

Discovering paths beyond college education, this explores widening skills gaps and the evolving job market, advocating for earlier career planning to bridge the divide.

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Empowering Middle School Students with Early Education and Career Exploration

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  1. ASA ASA Exploring Earlier: Helping Middle School Students Discover Education/Career Opportunities 2019

  2. Contents 02 Why Higher Education Shouldn’t Be Synonymous With College 01 United States Widening Skills Gap 03 Education and Career Exploration As Early As Middle School 04 Operation Exploration Pilot ASA

  3. United States Widening Skills Gap The Forces Transforming Our Job Market

  4. Skills Gap Realities Many signs indicate our labor force is not equipped for the workplace of the future, or even today. • 40% of college grads lack the skills to perform their jobs. • 60% of companies report unfilled jobs due to lack of qualified workers. • 40% of employers report work not getting done due to a lack of skilled workers. • 6.5M jobs remain unfilled, yet unemployment rate is 3.7%. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Harris Poll Study

  5. Our Transforming Job Market Gray Wave = Boomers retiring and taking skills with them Growing global competition • Low wages in emerging economies draw low-skill manufacturing offshore • High wage, high-skilled manufacturing remains; requires better-trained workforce Nearly 1 in 5 jobs today didn’t exist in 1980: Rapid tech progress = constant catch up Artificial Intelligence: replacing low-skill, middle-skill, and some high-skill workers

  6. Why Higher Ed Shouldn’t Be Synonymous With College Why Traditional Higher Education Shouldn’t Be Just What’s Next

  7. Fastest Growing Jobs In The United States Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

  8. Income Outlook Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

  9. Post-Secondary Ed Required Fastest Growth Jobs • High School Diploma • Home/Personal Care Aide • Technical Non-Degree • Solar Photovoltaic Installer • Wind Turbine Service Technician • Associates Degree • Physical Therapy Assistant • Bachelor’s Degree • Software Developer • Master’s Degree • Physician’s Assistant • Nurse Practitioner • Statistician • Mathematician Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

  10. Unsound College Choices Making emotional college choices Deciding without considering: • Reasons to attend certain school 2) True cost of attendance, amount borrowed, and how to repay 3) Career options before choosing college or program

  11. College Choice Factors Factors Considered: Location Major Cost Name recognition School counselor Friends Family Source: ASA Life Delayed Study

  12. Post-Secondary Education Planning What major factor was missing from the college choice decision? Careers

  13. Different Pathways To 4-Year Degree

  14. Problems Facing College Students Today Sources: College Board Trends, Federal Reserve, TICAS, Bureau of Labor.

  15. Championing The Non-4-Year Degree Four-Year Degree Realities: Not necessarily providing skills needed for today’s and tomorrow’s economy Return on investment must be evaluated More than half are not completing these degrees Non-Four-Year Degree Realities: Skill development High demand jobs Median annual salary of all non-four-year degree programs only $11K less than bachelor’s degree recipients, but see average savings of $114K over cost of repaying a bachelor’s degree for 10 years ($11,400/year) More job security because skills are needed and not easily exported Sources: NCES, Federal Reserve

  16. Important To Note College access doesn’t equal success Remind students and families that getting into college is a significant accomplishment to be celebrated, but getting into college: Is not the end destination Is not the ultimate goal Is one step in the execution of a plan The end goal should be a fulfilling career that meets the student’s interests and skills College access is getting IN, getting THROUGH, and successfully REPAYING student loans obtained to achieve the degree

  17. 4-Year Degree Return On Investment Is Not Equal Low-income BA recipients begin careers earning 66% as much as higher-income BA recipients; this ratio declines to 50% by mid-career and 70% by late-career Source: Brookings Institution calculations from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, 2016

  18. 4-Year Degree Return On Investment Is Not Equal 25% less 30% less At the highest education level, African Americans and Latinos earn close to a million dollars less than their white and Asian counterparts over a lifetime. Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, 2009-2013 American Community Survey, BRA Research Division Analysis; https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/the-college-payoff/

  19. Education For Viability In The 21st Century Market Should a 4-year degree still be the primary goal? Skills development Credentials needed for the jobs of today and tomorrow Increased investment in apprenticeships On-the-job training These are all essential components of post-secondary education – are there earlier solutions?

  20. Education & Career Exploration As Early As Middle School Why Earlier Awareness Leads To Better Planning For Post-Secondary Education

  21. Typical Student Awareness Timeline • High school choice • Class registration • Class registration • Ed. pathway • College choice • College financing • Interest inventory • College major • Career plan • Career execution • Loan repayment

  22. Research Indicates High School Is Too Late Research shows middle school is the time when students can benefit the most from education and career exploration High school challenges: • Not enough time to plan • Too late to consider all options • Too late to prepare • No time for modifying plans • Late planning leads to debt burden Middle school engaged at 80% High school engaged at 40% Source: ACTE Research, 2018

  23. Middle School Should Be New Target Education/career conversations should begin in middle school to provide time to explore/experiment before high school ends • Plant seeds • Interest inventories • Skill development • Give kids opportunities to explore • Effective high school choice planning • Job shadowing; internships; part-time jobs to match career interests & goals • Educated post-high school education planning = students and parents

  24. Perkins V Previously: CTE funds only allocated to grade 7 and above Now: CTE funds can be allocated to “middle grades” – defined as Grade 5 through Grade 8 generally (states may vary)

  25. Middle School Outreach • Find connections between academics, education interests, and career interests • Set good financial literacy foundation • Set goals for getting college and career information • Promote college AND career planning in middle school* • Promote creative and interactive career exploration programs and activities

  26. Middle School Outreach College and career planning ideally begins in middle school Middle School Outreach: • Must be engaging • Must match their intellectual and social-emotional development • Learn through teamwork and real-life scenarios • Active, hands-on, and fun • Outside of the formal classroom • Consistency • Must be quick

  27. Operation Exploration Pilot A Promising Education and Career Exploration Program Designed for Middle School Students

  28. Operation Exploration • Grades 7 to 10 (majority 8 and 9) • Monthly sessions January – August • Games and activities to foster engagement • Local professionals share their own experiences in choosing education & career pathways* • Goal = Practical knowledge & actionable steps to make informed decisions for college & career Emphasis Jobs of tomorrow Exploring interests Experimenting

  29. Concerns About Middle School Exploration Past: ‘Career exploration’/vocational education = TRACKING Present: In many districts, concerns about tracking remain

  30. Take Back The Definition of Tracking Career exploration = helping to keep kids on track to success Developing career interests is not about narrowing focus; its exposureto multiple pathwaysand understanding transitions

  31. Claim Your Future Encourages Students To: 1) Have conversations about their goals and aspirations 2) Link today’s educational & spending choices to future job options & financial stability 3) Distinguish between wants and needs; learn to prioritize* 4) Describe benefits of saving and impact of long-term debt

  32. Operation Exploration Metrics • 92% = pursuing education beyond high school after program (12% increase) • 53% = confident in ability to evaluate best post-high school education option • 92% = more motivated to research the best post-high school option for them • 88% = more motivated to plan for life after high school • 82%= felt they could effectively manage their finances • 68% = felt they knew how to achieve financial goals

  33. Resources and Takeaways ASA School Counselor Survey https://file.asa.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/14141839/School-Counselors-and-College-Financial-Fit.pdf ASA Life Delayed Survey https://file.asa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/28203317/Life-Delayed-2015.pdf BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook = https://www.bls.gov/ooh/ Claim Your Future = https://www.claimyourfuture.com/

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