President’s Letter: A HEROIC Mindset for College and Career Readiness

A goal for school counselors is to prepare students to be successful post high school. To meet this goal, school counselors implement programs that promote, enhance and facilitate the learning process and contribute to the creation of a culture of college and career readiness for all students. Programs are driven by data and based on standards in academic, career, and social/emotional development. School counselors collaborate with families, teachers, employers, and community stakeholders to prepare students for a successful postsecondary path. Kansans Can defines success for a high school graduate as having the academic and cognitive preparation, technical and employability skills, and civic engagement to be successful in postsecondary education or the workplace.
 
Needs in career development have radically changed with advances in technology and an estimated 65% of today’s elementary students will hold occupations that do not yet exist, making career development goals a moving target. The influence of globalism and technology, new educational systems, different models for training and diverse work environments impact P–12 career education designed to prepare students for successful postsecondary and career readiness. Kansas employers have reported a need for employees with industry and technical skills and credentials.
 
School counselors have unique expertise to provide P–12 career development for all students. The school counselor possesses the knowledge and skill to help students discover their interests, passions, strengths, and aptitudes. A school counseling program includes the career development process that creates intentional opportunities for students to engage in self-discovery, insight, and development of self-efficacy and resilience. ASCA expands on the role of the school counselor as creating contextual learning opportunities designed for students to acquire behaviors and skills for career readiness.
 
Immediately affecting students’ career development are reports that by 2020, advanced robotics, autonomous transport, artificial intelligence, machine learning, advanced materials, biotechnology and genomics will have the greatest impact on industries and business models. The Commission on the World of Work, Workers, and Technology predicted four future work forecasts. Key words from these forecasts include community-based, person-to-person interactions, profitable companies, robotics, AI, portfolio approach, multiple income streams, technology-driven, connectivity, virtual reality, and constantly changing.
 
In addition to sharing knowledge on the changing career landscape, school counselors engage in providing help in developing the dispositions necessary for a successful career. The HEROIC Mindset (Feller, 2017) is a career transition model based on cognitive filters, including a willingness to engage in change behaviors based on psychological capital. It includes six elements:

H - Hope: A will and way energy to seek purpose in work
E - Self-efficacy: “I can” attitude
R - Resilience: Flexibility and objectivity thinking to increase readiness for change
O - Optimism: Ability to seek solutions
I - Intentional exploration: Welcoming positive attitude toward opportunities
C - Clarity and Curiosity: Action with clear intentions, focus, and purpose
 
Career development is a womb-to-tomb process. School counselors are challenged with the goal of preparing students with the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to maximize opportunities for successful transition to postsecondary options of their choice.
 
Contact Dr. Judy Hughey, KSCA president, at jhughey@ksu.edu.