Career Counseling

Using Technology to Help Middle School Students with

Career Exploration

Karen CookMarch 15, 2005

Why Middle School Students should explore careers?

Possibilities beyond the school environment

In eighth grade students select courses for high school

Students take the appropriate courses in high school to prepare for their chosen profession

Career Assessment

Career exploration should begin with students learning their areas of interest

Complete a career interest inventory Two websites that provide inventories are Princeton Review

http://www.princetonreview.com/cte/quiz/career_quiz1.asp

Education Planner www.educationplanner.com

John Holland’s Vocational Theory

People choose jobs where they can be around other people who are like them

It is the best known and most widely researched theory on this topic

Many career counselors use it The website provides an online version of

the inventory at http://www.educationplanner.com/

careerkey/code/assessment1.asp?sponsor=2859

Career Worksheet

Counselors can also use worksheets to spark students interest in career exploration

Next is an example of a worksheet used at my internship

Career Programs Online

Variety of career exploration programs available online

Some programs are free and others are available for purchase

Purchased programs require a login to the program using a user id and password

Three Career Programs targeted to the Middle school population

Careership

Online career exploration game

The student clicks on one of the subjects shown in the picture

The student enters the career subject, a list of careers within that subject appear

The student selects a career and learn information

Choices Explorer Self-directed Online education and career exploration

program from school into the home Access to over 900 career profiles Access to 330 post-secondary programs Access to 200 career videos

Discover Program

Take two assessments by clicking on Inventories icon

Research careers by clicking on the six career clusters

High School Planner accesses information on planning for high school

Program is available for school and home

Futuretown Park

Career Programs Online Websites

Careership http://www.mapping-your-future.org/

features/careership/ Choices Explorer

http://www.bridges.com/usa/product/k2middle.htm

Discover Program http://www.act.org/discover/intermed/

Job Searching Online

Students can use job searching websites to locate their careers in the job market

Some websites include: www.careerbuilder.com and

www.careerexplorer.net Provide information on the prevalence of

jobs and writing and posting resumes Provides students with knowledge and

skills needed for their future job search

Conclusion

Technology and the Internet is a vital part of career exploration School Counselors and students can

explore careers in a exciting way Career information is just a click away Assess at home Parents can be involved

To view my website click here To view my research paper click here