Staying Current on Careers with ASCA

In what career paths is demand growing? How can you help your students, no matter their age, explore their future options? What do your students need to succeed in the increasingly global job market?

These questions are the tip of the iceberg when working with your students on career readiness. It’s a crucial subject for school counselors at every level, and ASCA offers resources to help you take on this topic. ASCA’s video library is available to members and includes 40 titles on career readiness, ranging from careers your students should be aware of to aligning academic and career interests, and from building career awareness at varying age levels to the transition out of high school. View ASCA career videos

 
Career Conversation Starters are a free resource from ASCA. These guides help school counselors work with students, parents and community members to address the ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success: K-12 College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Every Student. The Career Conversations questions are research based and can be used with individuals and groups of students, parents and community members. Several of the versions are available in both English and Spanish.

Three of ASCA’s position statements specifically address career development:

• The School Counselor and Career Development presents the school counselor’s specific responsibilities in this area and provides links to research and resources.
• The School Counselor and Career and Technical Education emphasizes school counselors collaborating with other CTE stakeholders and educating students and families about CTE programs to help students understand all of their postsecondary options.
• The School Counselor and Individual Student Planning for Postsecondary Preparation discusses the school counselor’s role in assisting students, families and staff with a rigorous and relevant academic and career program preparing students to be college- and career-ready.

For a deeper dive into the topic, school counselors may wish to consider ASCA’s Career Development Specialist training (earning 5 CEUs). This program equips school counselors with information to collaborate with students, families, educational staff and the community to help all students select their postsecondary path. Learning objectives include identifying potential career exploration interventions/activities; brainstorming and implementing a career program in your school; developing a plan to integrate Career Conversations and Starter Questions into everyday practice with individual students, small groups, parents and community partners; and extending career initiatives to include STEM professions and activities. Read about the Career Development Specialist training

Katy O’Grady is the managing editor of the newsletters ASCA produces for the state school counselor associations. She has also written for ASCA School Counselor, most recently about trauma following a mass shooting. Contact her at katy@docreative.com