Meeting the Career Readiness Imperative Executive Brief
Educate the board and executive cabinet on district-wide career education
In reality, a large share of students make uninformed decisions about their next steps. Correcting these mistakes at a later date is costly in terms of time and money. More than half of all high school graduates believe their school did not support them in exploring and identifying which postsecondary steps and careers would align with their interests and capabilities. Consequently, only 36% of high school graduates make postsecondary industry-specific decisions that align with their strengths and interests.
Districts are well-positioned to propel students towards career success due to their access to all students, regardless of their eventual educational attainment levels. The good news is that districts can provide all students with ongoing career development support without sacrificing academics or requiring additional resources.
The four practices outlined in this brief provide a sample of some of our most promising findings. In addition to describing the steps and details necessary to execute these practices, we have included sample tools/templates to ease the implementation process for school leaders.
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67%
of students could benefit from career education, exploration, and guidance
Structured career reflection
Whitewater Unified School District dedicates one homeroom period a week for students to engage in ongoing, self-directed career learning. All homeroom teachers receive grade-specific career prompts activities designed to allow students to deepen their career knowledge, refine career goals, and engage in thoughtful career planning.
"“Students tell us they like the reflection activities. Students have the time to create a future that they want […] They are able to connect how their time in high school relates to their futures.”
"Pamela Sonmor-Wintz, Coordinator of Counseling Services
Whitewater Unified
Virtual work-based learning
Cross County Public Schools has built a virtual work-based learning network that connects students with employer volunteers representing industries across the country. Volunteers are sourced by teacher networks, and students and volunteers are matched based on shared industry interest. Employers provide students with industry-specific business challenges and guides students in completing each task. Students connect with employers virtually to receive coaching and feedback on their work performance.
Industry-based advisory cohorts
To provide students with industry-specific career planning, Greenwood Public Schools utilizes advisory cohorts as opportunities for students who share similar career interests to explore and plan for a specific industry. While most districts sort students into advisory cohorts at random, Greenwood Public Schools organizes their advisory cohorts around industry themes and assign them to teachers who are familiar with the industry or have an affinity for it. During advisory period, students engage in a series of activities that helps them identify the education, experience, and skills needed for specific industries and careers.
School-wide student elevator pitches
To hone students’ professional communication skills, Blue Valley School District trains all high school students in developing and delivering their career elevator pitches. The district makes use of the time between class periods as an opportunity for students to practice communicating how their courses and extracurricular activities relate to their career goals. This provides students the opportunity to receive feedback from teachers and improve their professional communication skills on an ongoing basis.
Students learn the concept of elevators pitches during their English class, and students develop their own 30 second pitch as a class assignment
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