Education and Career Planning – A Process not an Event! Career Cruising and the Portfolio

1. Education and Career Planning – A Process not an Event! Career Cruising and the Portfolio

2. Steps to Success Employment: Career Advancement Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning Postsecondary: Career Preparation Achieving credentials: college, certification, apprenticeship, military 9-12: Career Preparation Academics and technical courses, intensive guidance, individual graduation plans Grade 8: Transition Choosing a career cluster and major (can change easily at any time later) 6-8: Career Exploration Discovering interest areas K-5: Career Awareness Introduction to the world of careers

3. A sense of purpose in one’s work is crucial to building commitment to school. Yet, many adolescents do not have the opportunity to learn the relevance of school to their lives until it is too late. * Legum, H. L. & Hoare, C. H. (2004). Impact of a Career Intervention on At-Risk Middle School Students' Career Maturity Levels, Academic Achievement, and Self-Esteem. Professional School Counseling, 8(2), pg. 3.

4. Students involved in career exploration and awareness at the middle school level are more likely to establish an effective plan of study for high school. • Career planning establishes a focus for achievement and helps middle school students identify strategies and tasks necessary to achieve their goals. *Dahl, Carol A. (2001). Career Planning in Middle School, The Education Digest, 67.

5. The portfolio is a motivational tool for encouraging the continuous gathering of interests, abilities, credentials, experiences and personal reflection as well as a place to electronically store information as they move through educational settings.

6. ACADEMIC AND CAREER PORTFOLIOS • Every elementary and secondary school student should be encouraged to develop and maintain an academic and career portfolio. • If students continue to maintain their portfolios from year to year, they will be able to see their growth and progress over time and to become increasingly aware of their own interests, strengths, needs, and aspirations. • The evidence collected in an up-to-date portfolio provides a focus for parents, the teacher-advisor, and the guidance counselor when discussing with students the preparation and revision of their annual education plan. • Students should have easy access to their portfolios so that they can regularly update their contents.

7. Why Electronic Portfolios • Convenient Access • Easy to Use and Update • Cost-Effective • Faster Administration • Transferability

8. But how do we engage students in this process?

16. The Portfolio Completion Standards and related activities provide a progressive plan for career guidance from 6th grade right through to 12th grade.

23. In the study by Johnson, interviews with sixth and ninth graders, 87% of students' responses uncovered either a low degree of awareness or no awareness at all regarding the type of work involved in their chosen career field. Johnson, Laurie S. (2000). The Relevance of School to Career: A Study in Student Awareness. Journal of Career Development, 26 (4) 263-275.

24. The Career Profiles within Career Cruising focus on providing students with relevant, real-life information.

50. In the study by Johnson, interviews with sixth and ninth graders, 87% of students' responses uncovered either a low degree of awareness or no awareness at all regarding the type of work involved in their chosen career field. Johnson, Laurie S. (2000). The Relevance of School to Career: A Study in Student Awareness. Journal of Career Development, 26 (4) 263-275.