Challenging Resources For Your Students That Will Aid Career Development

Overview and Features of Elementary/ Middle School Career Development Models

Counselors and teachers know that the elementary/ middle school development is importantSchooling is a time of transition, a threshold to the student’s future, and a bridge into the student’s destinyIn elementary/ middle school, career development is a time to build career awareness, not a time for premature career choices or career preparationsCareer development is an ongoing lifelong processDuring the career development process, students remain open to new career ideas and possibilitiesCounselors and teachers build readiness for future career planningStudents build visions of what they desire to do in their lives as they contribute to the society.

Need for Elementary/ Middle school Career Development

Since most elementary and middle school students have limited understanding of how school relates to work, students use career development curriculum to build a foundation and the connection between career development, Twenty-First Century Skills, school academic subjects, potential careers, and future training optionsAs a result, students build self – awareness, possess intrinsic motivation, build a positive self-concept, and begin problem solving about career choices.

Benefits of Elementary/ Middle School Career Development

Elementary/ middle school career awareness lays the groundwork for future career exploration helping students achieve the following goals:

• Knowledge of personal characteristics, interests, aptitudes, and skills
• Awareness of and respect for the diversity of the world of work
• Understanding of the relationship between school performance and future choices
• Development of a positive attitude toward work

Beyond that, teachers can go a little more in-depth into certain principles depending on how well your students grasp the fundamentals mentioned aboveFor instance, it might be beneficial to highlight the basic onboarding processes used the majority of HR departments, or how to use a withholding calculator to aid with filling out a W4 formThat opens up the opportunity to discuss allowances, credits, and deductions, as well as how to distinguish filing status.

Students who complete career development activities have the following positive outcomes:

• Expanded understanding of the world of work leading to an openness to an increased number potential careers
• Improved skills to make informed decisions and complex career information problem solving
• Enhanced academic, personal, and teamwork skill development
• Amplified career awareness, self-esteem, sense of direction, motivation to persist, clearly defined goals

Eventually, as students participate in career curriculum programs, the number of dropouts is minimized.

Elementary/ Middle School Career Education Models

There are 4 major career development models:

• • National Career Development Guidelines

• 21st Century Skills
• New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards
• Missouri Comprehensive Guidance Program