Middle School Career Exploration

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Middle School Career Exploration The Perfect
Storm Dan Blake, Career Development
Specialist Sonoma County Office of Education
3rd Annual Career Technical Education
Conference Santa Clara County Office of
Education September 29, 2011
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What do we mean by The Perfect Storm?
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Four Converging Megatrends
Great Recession
Changing Demographics
Upskilling Of Jobs
Unprepared Workforce
Phil Jarvis, The National LifeWork Centre,
Memramcook, New Brunswick
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The Great Recession
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1 in 4 workers has been with their current
employer less than one year 1 in 2 has been
with their current employer less than two years.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor
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They estimate that todays students will have
10-14 jobs
by the age of 38.
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Changing Demographics
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Key factors to consider
Latino students now make up the majority of K-12
students in California
The racial/ethnic groups that are the least
educated are the fastest growing. National Center
for Public Policy and Higher Education
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Upskilling of Jobs
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Job Market in 1960
Percentage of jobs requiring a 4-year degree
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Percentage of jobs requiring a 2-year degree
or certificate 20
Percentage of jobs requiring minimal on-the-job
training 60
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Job Market Today Percentage of jobs requiring a
4-year degree 20 (no change)
Percentage of jobs requiring a 2-year degree
or certificate 65 (an increase of over 300)
Percentage of jobs requiring minimal on-the-job
training 15
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The
in-demand jobs in 2010
did not exist in 2004.
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We are currently preparing students for jobs and
technologies that dont yet exist
in order to solve problems we dont even know are
problems yet.
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Unprepared Workforce
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According to a 2006 report
70 of employers cite deficiencies among workers
in the areas of professionalism, work ethic,
critical thinking
40 of employers say incoming employees are
deficiently prepared for entry-level jobs
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What are the ramifications of this perfect
storm on the way we approach career development
in the 21st Century?
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The New Career Paradigm
Old New Choosing Learning
Occupation Skills Character
Work Life
Information Creativity
Lists Relationships
Phil Jarvis, The National LifeWork Centre,
Memramcook, New Brunswick
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OLD Choose a destination What will you be
when?
NEW Focus on the journey Who are you now? What
are your special skills, abilities, talents,
gifts (assets)? What will you do next (stepping
stones)? What competencies will you work
on? What does your future look feel like?
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What do you want to be when you grow up?
Were asking the wrong question
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Most of us acquired a superficial and narrow
knowledge base of occupations while we were
growing up. Our occupational knowledge reflected
what we knew about our family members jobs, the
jobs of our neighbors, and the people we came in
contact with in our community on a regular basis.
This natural occurrence tends to severely limit
the career options that students see for
themselves. It may explain why so many children
mention the jobs of firefighter, police officer,
nurse, or teacher when asked what they want to be
when they grow up. These jobs are familiar to
them in their daily lives.(Colussy, 1998)
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Program Goals Objectives

• Expand knowledge of career options

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Program Goals Objectives

• Expand knowledge of high school and
  post-secondary education/training options

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Program Goals Objectives

• Increase perception of
• post-secondary relevance
• (stress the importance of
• educational attainment)

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Program Goals Objectives

• Increase understanding of career goals,
  interests, and aspirations

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Program Goals Objectives

• Increase the number of students who develop
  integrated academic/career development plans,
  including course sequences that are consistent
  with career pathway options

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Program Goals Objectives

• Increase awareness of middle school staffs
  regarding career development resources and
  educational options

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Who has time for this?Organizational Structure
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Program Coordinator Responsibilities

• Program goals and direction
• Site Coordinator recruitment and training
• Research, acquisition, and dissemination of
  career awareness/exploration curriculum
• Sponsor solicitation
• Budget management
• Liaison to professional organizations, CDE, and
  the State Legislature
• Marketing and promotional event planning
• Media and public relations
• Program evaluation and revision
• Overall program oversight and support

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Site CoordinatorResponsibilities

• Planning and implementation of program activities
• Participation in program planning meetings and
  trainings
• Recruit teachers/counselors for participation in
  career exploration activities
• Solicit information and suggestions from
  teachers/counselors regarding program activities
• Coach teachers/counselors on the implementation
  of career exploration activities
• Communicate program goals activities to
  administration, faculty, and parents/guardians
• Assist Program Coordinator with the recruitment
  of business and community professionals to take
  part in school sites career exploration
  activities
• Liaison between the school site faculty and the
  Program Coordinator

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Teacher Counselor Responsibilities

• Implement career awareness curriculum as part of
  regular classroom instruction and in student
  counseling sessions
• Participate in trainings and workshops on career
  awareness/exploration as necessary

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Site AdministrationResponsibilities

• Provide general support for career awareness and
  exploration program
• Meet regularly with Site Coordinator to discuss
  program goals activities
• Promote program to faculty and parents
• Explore and support delivery methods to reach
  widest possible audience

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What does it look like?Key Curriculum
Activities
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The Real Game California

• Being implemented in a variety of ways
• Elective wheel or rotation (9-12 weeks
  straight)
• Core curriculum for year-long Career Exploration
  course
• Once-a-week over the course of year (e.g. every
  Friday)
• After-school or summer enrichment class
• And by a number of disciplines
• Variety of elective teachers
• English teachers
• Math teachers
• ELL teachers
• AVID teachers
• Special Education teachers

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Step-Up Classes

• 8 to 16 hour CTE Mini-Courses for middle school
  students at their partner high school
• After-school (e.g., 5 consecutive Wednesdays) or
  summer (e.g., three hours per day for one week)
• Benefits
• Opportunity for hands-on experience in high
  school pathway
• Smoother transition from middle school to high
  school
• Make connection to high school teacher
• Recruitment/marketing opportunity for HS pathway
  programs

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Career Day

• OPTIONAL FORMATS/FEATURES
• Keynote Speaker two breakout sessions
• Three breakout sessions
• Pre-Activities
• Use of career interest inventories to identify
  careers
• Survey/menu of speakers
• Lesson on appropriate/inappropriate questions to
  ask presenters
• Career-themed poster contest
• Post-Activities
• Thank you notes
• Debrief/review of learning
• Career report/presentation on career of choice

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Kuder NavigatorCareer Academic Planning System
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Final Thoughts
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Building School-Wide Support

• Create committee or planning team to plan
  activities share ideas
• Pet the friendly dogs
• Let others come on board gradually
• Provide concrete examples of how career
  exploration can fit in all disciplines

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Engaging Your Local Community

• Educate community about value of working
  upstream
• Create opportunities for community members to
  share expertise (e.g., Career Days, workplace
  tours, guest speakers, informational interviews)
• Implement Adopt-a-School campaign

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Ask your principal
How are we helping kids become literate in the
21st Century?
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Ask your school board member
Are you providing the resources and training
necessary to prepare students to be successful in
21st century society?
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Ask your elected representatives
What changes should be made to current education
policy?
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Contact Information

• Dan Blake
• Career Development Specialist
• Sonoma County Office of Education
• 707-524-2780
• dblake_at_scoe.org