K12 schools are finding new ways to add career-planning into its coursework. Here are some ways to ease students into discovering their profession early-on and save time and money while doing so!
Career and Academic Plans
Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP) templates are a roadmap for graduation requirements and fill-in-the-blank destinations that students get to pick. School counselors work with admins to create the base of the template, with the required courses like math, science, and social studies, and let students pick the rest.
The blank spaces in the ICAP template can filled with the arts, business, agriculture, and more. This leads to great conversations like the future nurse asking to enroll in Human Anatomy instead of 11th grade biology, or the future entrepreneur picking an elective course in Accounting.
Students spend time selecting courses that align with their interests and goals, rather than worrying about allocating required curricula into their schedule. Give students some academic autonomy, and they might just find their niche!
Dual-Credit Programs
Dual-credit enrollment is a program in which high school students can take college-level courses, led by college professors, through their high school. Passing students earn full collegiate-credit and meet their high school diploma requirements at the same time.
In some cases, students can enroll in a semester-long program that gives them transferrable credits towards their associates or bachelors undergraduate education. For these students, they save $5,000 to $25,000 per semester at universities that accept transfer credits.
Plus, students can challenge themselves by taking more advanced classes which preps their mind for college. Other students can enjoy the offer to be in workshops and become a pro in a trade rather than staring at textbooks all day.
Some examples of programs offered through dual-credit enrollment:
- Transfer or General Education
- IT Software Development
- Business Administration
- CNA and EMT training
- Trade Apprenticeships
Career-Exploration Fairs
This might seem like the obvious pick, but it’s worth mentioning. Don’t make this just an event where students collect business cards and wander around clueless; make it an event where they can find job shadow opportunities and see multiple possibilities after high school.
Are there alumni and/or parents you can reach out to? Invite guest speakers from local businesses and make the career fair interactive.
For the best outcomes:
- Prepare them beforehand with a list of staple interview questions and what to say as a jobseeker.
- Give students a map of the booths: bonus points if you require they talk to at least three people.
- Enforce a dress code fit for their preferred career path.
- Offer a variety of paths: technical schools, four-year colleges, trade unions, small and large businesses, and branches of the military.
When done well, career-fairs give students the opportunity to make connections with local businesses and colleges.
Read more about academic and career-readiness:
Is College Success a K-12 Problem?
The New Role of the School Counselor
Student Apprenticeships: Working For a Brighter FutureWHAT'S NEXT FOR YOUR EDTECH? The right combo of tools & support retains staff and serves students better. We'd love to help. Visit skyward.com/get-started to learn more.
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Abby Paulsen Edtech Thought Leader |
