Table Of Content

3 m ?*" TOW TV ' <. .. •«v '*?**> "Wit _>*. «e#3»'*Ste dm 3K> -*«»-..i«,t' tM^-y '% \ t iiill'grip W?/"•; ^ '/ •-* r «• 3tesfi&«i--j»^?'*•»"* titfc *?"'* *»*•»-« a »f?i ^5*, mm rt*< *****' mm#&*« '- tech S'r'ai 'ti % >• ^ -45' •wswapi-*1***^ i —-^«> a»««tr* 10-12 gr. I lCURRGDHT Ex LIBRIS UNIVERSITATIS ALBERTENSIS CAREER DIRECTIONS RATIONALE AND PHILOSOPHY A. Individuals make career plans and decisions in understand the process of career planning- -a skill different ways, at different times and for different they can use throughout their lives. reasons. Some students know what they want to do when they leave senior high school. Many do Individuals who apply effective career planning not. Career decisions are personal and continue skills and are wise consumers ofcareer and labour throughout life as goals and opportunities evolve. market information will be more capable of responding to social and economic changes, more Senior high school students, supported by their able to identify opportunities for ongoing growth, parents and families, are responsible for making and more likely to move successfully into adult and implementing career plans. Schools and other roles as contributing and enterprising citizens. key community partners can help students in the career planning process by providing ready access Program General Outcomes to the information, personal coaching, and learning/work experiences each student needs in To earn senior high school credits in Career order to make informed choices. Directions, a student will: • develop a composite picture and evidence of Career Directions supports Grade 10-11-12 competencies developed through formal and students' career planning by helping them: informal learning experiences in the home, • document and connect their experiences, school and community (careerportfolio) interests, aptitudes and competencies, • outline two or more plans that link personal • investigate the wide range of opportunities goals to present and future learning and work they have to learn and work, and opportunities (career plan) • align their formal and informal learning • establish and monitor short- and long-term experiences with theirevolving career goals. plans to improve their ability to demonstrate essential competencies and learning in a wide Career development is an investment in the future, range ofcontexts (annual learning plan) both from a personal and from a societal • demonstrate effective career planning skills. perspective. By developing a career portfolio and completing annual learning/career plans, students develop a set of practical tools they can use in their transition into the workplace and post secondary learning. As well, they will better Rationale and Philosophy Career Directions / 1 ©AlbertaLearning, Alberta,Canada March 2000 (DRAFT) — PROGRAM ORGANIZATION AND • learning and work investigation DELIVERY understanding the career planning process and investigating a variety of work/learning Program Organization options — • personal management establishing and Career Directions is designed to complement the implementing action plans for personal many other career development programs and growth. activities being undertaken for children and youth by parents, schools and their community partners. Program Delivery Career Directions provides an instructional Career Directions is an optional program. Schools platform for senior high schools to allocate choosing to offer Career Directions should deliver teaching and related support resources to help the three, 1-credit courses to students in grades 10, students develop a career portfolio and annual 11 and 12 respectively. The 1-credit courses are learning/career plan. sequential and cannot be challenged. Credits earned may be applied toward an Alberta High Career Directions is organized into three, 1-credit School Diploma. courses: Preferably, schools will timetable each 1-credit 1. Portfolio/Career Plan: Foundations course to ensure frequent, scheduled (Introductory) student-teacher interaction throughout the school year. Full year scheduling recognizes the evolving nature of the career planning and decision-making 2. Portfolio/Career Plan: Expansion process, providing time students need to frame (Intermediate) and implement their action plans for v self-improvement and to investigate a range of learning-work options. 3. Portfolio/Career Plan: Transitions (Advanced) Schools can implement Career Directions in a variety ofways, such as: The program identifies four general outcomes and each 1-credit course identifies a set of • integrate Career Directions courses within competencies (course general outcomes) that teacher/faculty advisor programs students must demonstrate in order to be • connect Career Directions with specified core successful in each course. In addition, specific or optional courses offered at each grade outcomes have been defined to clarify the level; e.g., courses from the Career increasing expectations across the three courses. Transitions strand of Career and Technology Standards for student success involve: Studies • offer Career Directions as individual study/ • demonstrated research, action planning and tutor programs. problem-solving, skills • completion and presentation of various The Career Directions courses can provide a products and activities. "career development" framework for many regular school activities, such as registration and course The outcomes included in each course are selection, parent-school liaison and progress organized around the following three themes: reporting. — career portfolio development collecting, selecting, organizing and presenting career- related materials 2/ CareerDirections Rationale and Philosophy March 2000 (DRAFT) UNIVERSITY LIBRARY ©AlbertaLearning, Alberta,Canada UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA Program Connections • life/work exploration: Students investigate a minimum of two new occupations/industries Alberta Learning supports the implementation ofa in each course and learn to access and assess Comprehensive Career Development System career and labour market information (CCDS). The CCDS asks school systems and schools to establish a developmental, coordinated, • career building: Students develop and systematic approach to help every student make maintain a career portfolio, including effective career plans and make a successful targeting their material when preparing transition into the workplace or post-secondary applications, and going to interviews. They programs. Ten action areas, with specific have access to "career coaches" to help them outcomes, have been identified to help school work through the career planning process systems implement the CCDS: personal planning, • work preparation: Students inventory and family involvement, career information, reflect on the academic and technical skills experience of work, relevant curriculum, they now have and outline learning plans for professional development, community enhancing those competencies in order to partnerships, structured pathways, quality expand their career options assurance. These action areas are interdependent. For example, action taken to improve career • career transitions: Students have help to information will impact personal planning and prepare applications for workplace and family involvement post-secondary education, access scholarships, grants and loans and establish support Career Directions helps schools address three networks. action areas: personal planning, family involvement and career information. Career Directions recognizes that students have already had opportunity to learn about the career As well, the CCDS encourages key players to development process and identify learning and adopt common terminology to better understand work opportunities. A key benefit of Career the various career development processes, as well Directions is in providing an opportunity for as to identify related resources. The CCDS students to consolidate and document their identifies the following career development thoughts, plans and resources, and to use that processes: background to establish concrete plans for the personal management future. life/work exploration Chart No. 1 describes the focus of career careerbuilding development in elementary,junior high school and workpreparation senior high school programs. As career careertransitions development is a lifelong process, a description is also included for adults. Career Directions addresses all five of these processes in the following ways: At present, the delivery ofthese programs may not be coordinated fully between grades, courses • personal management: Students reflect on and/or schools within a school system. Therefore, their interests, aptitudes, values, work teachers may wish to determine the career preference and goals. They assess their development activities undertaken, and which essential competencies and establish action career resources have been used in elementary and plans for improvement junior high school programs. Rationale and Philosophy Career Directions / 3 ©Alberta Learning, Alberta,Canada March 2000 (DRAFT) Chart No. 1: A Developmental Model for Career Programming Career Planning Elementary JuniorHigh SeniorHigh AdultRoles Processes (BeAware) (Explore) (Investigate) (Apply) Personal Build self-awareness w^ ^w Management Develop life skills ww wW Dream, experience, Link interests, skills Link interests, skills Scan environmentfor LifeAVork learn about various and values to future and values to career workand learning Exploration roles and activities plans opportunities responsibilities Explore learning/ Investigate learning/ work options workoptions and paths Career Outline learning and Buildcareer tool kit Maintain and enhance Building workgoals and identify two or careertools more transition plans Work Develop entry-level Upgrade/expand Preparation competencies competencies (marketable) Career Implement plans for Make strategic career Transitions transitions shifts All core and optional courses can help students • Connect courses to careers. Many students meet the outcomes of the Career Directions make career decisions based on whether or not courses. they enjoy a particular subject area. They identify occupations and industries that use • Provide "portfolio-friendly" assignments and the skills being learned in the course. feedback. As students develop their career portfolios, the—y are required to inventory their • Provide explicit feedback on essential competencies academic, technical and (employability) skills. Enhancing the essential essential (employability). To do so, they need "soft skills", such as teamwork, resource to draw on their experiences in the various management and problem solving, is often key courses they have taken or are taking. They to success in learning and interacting with document what they have learned and identify others. When provided with explicit appropriate examples of work that could be feedback, students become more aware of included in their career portfolios as evidence their strengths and more confident that they ofthose skills. can apply them in other contexts. • Integrate applied learning experiences as As described above, all courses can contribute to much aspossible. Students connect what they career development. Career Directions, along are learning in a course to applications in the with the following career-specific courses, helps home, community and workplace by students learn the career planning process, integrating concrete examples and activities develop a career tool kit, explore learning and work options and obtain workplace experience in into the instructional process. various occupations and industries. 4 / Career Directions Rationale and Philosophy March 2000 (DRAFT) ©Alberta Learning, Alberta,Canada Health and Personal Living Skills 7-9 • Career Internship 10 (in pilot) Career and Life Management 20 • Integrated Occupational Program • Green Certificate Program (in pilot) Career Directions Career and Technology Studies Chart No. 2 describes how these career-related Work Experience 15-25-35 courses support the career development processes. Work Study (off-campus delivery of any core or optional course,job shadowing Chart No. 2: Career-specific Programs/Courses Focus ofCareer-specific Courses ALL MANY SOME AFEW STUDENTS STUDENTS STUDENTS STUDENTS BASICS—Studentslearn EXPLORATION— TARGETS—Students SELECTION—Students aboutcareerplanning Studentsenhancetheir investigatecareeroptions buildmarketable processanddevelopabasic careertoolsandinvestigate andbuildentry-level competenciesinaselected "toolkit". variouscareeroptions. competencies. occupation/industry. O 13 E o > ecd CAREER cCo3 o> <c/3 c ion 3o iro-n1i ao2 ^eon O5oho o DEPVREOLCEOSPSMEESNT P ou au 3o =g3.3£ CuCu 0< 16- D. IEE and Skills 5 Trans aX c <D "O UQXJ. Apprenticesh (c—1 Certifi Health Living u< UUUuUai] Career 2010,3010 o UmH HU -<q ^UO<i Integrated Program Registered UUuci3 Green Program Personal Students setgoals and Explicit attention is paid to essential competencies that are relevant Management establish personal to curriculum and students' personal development plans. development plan. Life/Work Students identifyand Students experience Students meet and anticipate workplace Exploration investigate a variety various forms ofwork, expectations, and develop marketable careeroptions that and learn competencies in specific occupational areas. build on their about workplace personal strengths and expectations. interests. Career Students develop life Students tailortheirportfolio forspecific applications with the help Building skills/career "tool ofteachers, mentors and work site supervisors. 4 kit." — Work Students develop marketablecompetencies occupation and industry — Preparation specific with the help ofteachers and worksite supervisors. Career Students identifyemployment opportunities with the help ofteachers, Transitions work site andcareercentre supervisors. CALM 20 (CareerandLife Management 20) isbeingrevised underLife Skills 10, which is scheduled forprovincial implementation in September2001. CareerDirectionscoursesaredesigned forall students, butare notrequired forahigh school diploma. Curriculumis in pilotand scheduled foroptional implementation in September2000and provincial implementation in September2001. 'Tool kit"to include learning-careerplans (grades 7-12) andcareerportfolio (focus injuniorhigh school on life skills; focusin seniorhigh school on transitions). Rationale and Philosophy Career Directions / 5 ©AlbertaLearning, Alberta,Canada March 2000 (DRAFT) Career Directions can compliment and expand the various career-support programs and services available in senior high schools in a variety ofways, by: • encouraging students who need additional career coaching to meet with school counsellors • helping communicate and market various career activities, such as career days, field trips, post-secondary visits, guest speakers • helping students use the career centre to access quality sources of career information (print, video, web site) • helping students access computerized personal assessment and career planning tools. Key players in planning, managing and delivering career development programs in schools can include: school and school system administrators school guidance counselors career centre managers work experience coordinator business/community partnership coordinator school librarian school councils. It is crucial that students in Career Directions have ready access to quality career information. Many schools have addressed this issue by establishing a career information centre in their — schools sometimes in the school library, sometimes adjacent to the school counsellor's office, sometimes in a separate location. These career centres provide information for students, parents and teachers and help manage the many career-related resources sent to schools. 6 / Career Directions Rationale and Philosophy March 2000 (DRAFT) ©AlbertaLearning, Alberta,Canada GENERAL AND SPECIFIC OUTCOMES B. COURSE OUTCOMES: INTRODUCTORY LEVEL 1 COURSE 1: Portfolio/Career Plan: Foundations Description: Students build on work done in junior high school to develop a career tool kit and to establish and implement action plans for strengthening essential competencies and learning capacity. Curriculum and Assessment Standards Suggested General Outcomes Assessment Criteria and Conditions Emphasis The student will: Assessment ofstudent achievement shouldbe basedon: • develop a career Portfolio is complete, well-organized and provides a 50 portfolio, showing comprehensive picture ofa student's strengths a—nd evidence ofstrengths and competencies. (Portfolio Assessment Checklist to be competencies, including: developed) - summary ofacademic and personal skills - credentials and work experiences • describe career Descriptions ofthe careerdevelopment processes 10 development processes incorporate at least one scenario ofan individual's career forthe 21st Century path for each offive key messages.© • outline a minimum oftwo Learning-work plans: 30 personal learning-work • show connection to personal goals plans (senior high school • consider requirements for a senior high school plus one year) including: diploma, costs offurther learning and sources of - links to personal skills support (financial and personal) and interests • include comprehensive research into selected - research ofselected occupations, referencing labour market projections, occupations skills required, opportunities for advancement, related occupations/work • are based on the use ofat least two sources ofcareer information, such as nationaVprovincial occupational profiles, computerized career planning software. • outline and implement a Work plan includes a personal assessment regarding 10 work plan forenhancing essential competencies and present learning styles, and essential competencies outlines a clear, practical strategy for improving skills and (employability skills) and assessing progress. building learning capacity. O D. E. Redekopp, NewMessages in CareerDevelopment. Paper submitted to Alberta Counsellors, 1993. Career Directions Introductory Level Course 1: Portfolio/Career Plan: Foundations / 7 ©AlbertaLearning, Alberta, Canada March 2000 (DRAFT) COURSE 1: Portfolio/Career Plan: Foundations (continued) Concept Specific Outcomes Notes The studentshould: Career Portfolio • describe the various types ofportfolios SP (pp. 37-40) MC Development (p. 24) • identify potential benefits/applications ofcareer Portfoliodevelopment portfolios: • collect - while in school • consolidate/organize - when leaving senior high school • select - throughout life • reflect. • determine quality indicators for an effective portfolio. For example: - scope - appearance - key messages • organize personal information and materials into a career portfolio (new or enhanced) • present portfolio; e.g., target group ofpeers • critique portfolio presentation: - key expectations/interests oftarget - audience - timing/sequence - impact/feedback. Life/Work • describe the principles ofeffective career LG(pp. 1-49) Exploration planning: - change is constant - follow your heart - focus on thejourney - stay learning - be an ally And also: - believe in yourself • list key questions regarding: - selecting a career - succeeding in school - succeeding in life • identify potential sources ofsupport in career planning; e.g., parents, career counsellors, teachers • complete "Career Planner" (continued) 8 / Course 1: Portfolio/Career Plan: Foundations Career Directions Introductory Level March 2000 (DRAFT) ©AlbertaLearning, Alberta, Canada