Helping Students Find their Place in the World of Work

Oklahoma schools are feeling heightened emphasis to focus on career readiness as our state faces a shortage of skilled labor and large percentages of students entering college who must take remedial courses. What does this mean for school counselors? Many school counselors are tasked with the mission to develop and deliver programming and curriculum that has the ultimate goal of having all students graduate high school college and career ready. Sounds simple, right?

Every school counselor goes into a school wanting to provide opportunities for students. We know we play an important role as students transition to life after high school; students are headed off to work, college, the military and vocational training. We work with stakeholders and teachers to make sure students are prepared academically and that they take responsibility for their own learning. We help them get motivation, find social supports to sustain them, and identify their gifts, skills and dreams. All in a day’s work!

Most graduate programs still teach that the central task of adolescence is identity development (Erikson, 1963); secondary school counselors know this can be a struggle for students as they explore careers. Two key career-ready components for our comprehensive school counseling programs are self-efficacy and purpose. Self-efficacy is the belief in one’s abilities. As we help students find their own strengths and insights into themselves, we are teaching them self-efficacy skills. Purpose is a reason something is done or an intention of a person. Finding purpose and meaning in a career is linked with workers who are deeply engaged and have greater satisfaction in their lives. The ASCA National Model promotes that students (a) acquire the skills to investigate careers in relation to knowledge of self, (b) employ strategies to achieve career goals and (c) understand the relationship between personal qualities, education, training and work.

We find that career readiness starts long before high school. Elementary school counselors in our state are implementing innovative and fun activities that get early learners to interact verbally and talk about careers. Our teachers and counselors of fourth, fifth and sixth grades across the state use field trips as unique ways to have students learn about careers as they ask tour group leaders about their jobs. Students in sixth through 12th grades respond positively to experts brought into classrooms as we try to enlighten students about careers that might be outside their smaller circle of experiences. Career researchers stress and agree that the two most important standards of being career ready are the ability to listen and the ability to speak effectively.

The OSDE has introduced the ICAP (Individual Career Academic Plan) for grades six to 12 and beyond. It is a process meant to help students engage in academic and career programs and curriculum. As school counselors help students explore who they are and what their purpose might be, students ultimately can understand their strengths and find meaningful and satisfying careers that will help make our state competitive in years to come.
 
Contact Michelle K. Taylor, Ed.D., LPC, OSCA president, at mtaylor@adairschools.org