~rovteCAREER INFORMATION =

n

ne thing all schools should do—is help students become familiar with and sort
through various career options.

ith regard to school,
students need to

Ifthereisa key to forging the connection between school and work, itliesinproviding know they havesolid options
career counseling throughout the school years. Ye: career guidance is one of the most that will qualify them to goto
neglected areas in American schools today. While counselors assist students in the se- work directly out of school or
lection of classes, few can link these to the broad range of career possibilities. Rather move on to higher levels of
than specializing— as college advisors, class schedulers or remedial programmers— all education and training.

high school counselors should become career counselors. And, each should work with
amixofstudents—some college-bound, some planning for specialized vocational train-
ing, others unsure.

Starting in the earliest grades, classroom lessons should incorporate information
about careers. Language, math, science should be taught with an emphasis on how
people really use this knowledge on a daily basis.

Every high school should have its own Career Resource Center with printed, com-
puterized and video information about the world of work. The Career Information De-
livery System (CIDS), an electronic data base which is available to school districts

throughout the United States, is filled with accurate, up-

A : to-date local and national information about employ-
If there is a

between sciiect
ane work, #
lies in provic+
ing cereer
counscling
throucl.ortl the
schoo! years,

forvarious jobs and notes sources of financial aid. Itserves
more than seven million people annually at more than
18,000 sites.

And while no test should ever dictate one’s career
direction, career-interest inventories and aptitude
assessment profiles are available that enable counselors
to introduce students to promising vocational options
and guide them in directions best suited to their interests
and abilities.

Students, in tum, need access to these same tools as
they develop their own personal career portfolios to use as road maps for their futures.
These folders— complet2 with notations of skills, hobbies, talents and personal goals,
as well as lists of classes relating to short-term interests or long-term possibilities—
should accompany them from one grade to another and from school to school. In-
cluded, too, should be records of work experiences, extra-curricular activities, training
programs and significant accomplishments... anything that clarifies interests, prefer-
ences and job or career possibilities. Students should be encouraged to review and
update these files regularly.

Since young people change their minds many times, their early interests must not

orer A VARIETY OF LEARNING OPTIONS snp

Foryears, the nation’s sec-
ondary school agenda has
been characterized by an ei-
ther/or split between aca-
demics and vocational
education. College-bound
students were guided to
courses needed to meet col-
lege oruniversity entrance re-
quirements. Vocational
students took courses to pre-

+... | Ment possibilities— including job descriptions, typical | pare fora variety of technical
key fe forghc wages and benefits, labor market demand and skillstan-; careers, but the reputation of
the connection | dards. CIDS lists places that offer the training required | these programs suffered be-

cause challenging academic
subject matter was not in-
cluded. And thelargest group.
of students, unsure of their
direction, was left to drift
along on what educators re-
fer to as “the general track”
consisting of watered-down
academic and vocational
courses offering little prepa-
ration for either further aca-
demic study or the world
of work.

College-prep has been
viewed fortoolongasthe only
meaningful option. But it
does not take into account
students who are interested

in pursuing a variety of tech-
lock them to particular occupational directions and exclude them from others. But nical careers— or who learn
what isimportantis that, somewhere along the way, they begin to develop somecareer- by doing.

elated focus.

It's time to stop viewing
school in this limited sense.
All students can master chal-
lenging academic material,

S BEST COPY AVAILABL®



‘ros a» wth CERTIFICATION & SUPPORT

cation which allow them to :
choose among high-demand
careers or pursue additional
education. Today's vocational- ;
technical programs generally
include actual state-of-the-art
work experience along with
classroom training. Because of
close connections with local
businesses, these schools have
greatsuccessin helping gradu-
ates connect with desirable
employment opportunities.

VOCATIONAL STUDENT

ORGANIZATIONS

Vocational Student Organ-
izations (VSQs) present well
over a million students each
year with entrepreneurial in-
sights into a wide range of ca-
Teer options. In addition to
sharpening particular voca-
tional skills, these clubs pro-
vide focused leadership
training. VSOs are sanctioned
by national organizations;
their non-credit programs are
structured to fit junior high
through post secondary school
contexts. Local groups gain tre-
mendous momentum when
businessand industry advisors
become involved. The more
familiar of these organiztions
introduce young people to
career perspectives in mar-
keting, health care, business,
technical occupations, and
agriculture.

iplomas mark the successful ccmpletion of high school. But just as colleges re-

quire transcripts and aptitude tests as prerequisites for enrollment, so doemploy-
ers want a definite indication of a student's readiness for work. Certifying graduates in
terms of the particulars of what they have learned and what they are able to dois amore
effective way to acknowledge their abilities relative to
various employment opportunities.

For certification to be meaningful, schools should
first learn what employers require of graduates in the
way of job-related qualification. They can then tailor

For certification
to be meaningful,
schools should

classesaccordingly and, when students complete pro-
grams and demonstrate specific capabilities, can
award Certificates of Competence or Letters of Quali-
fication in various career categories.

first learn
what employers
require of

Students, in turn, should learn how io apply for graduates
employment...how to identify prospective employ- in the way of
ers, develop resumes and present themselves appro- job-related
priately at job interviews. Classes that help them qualification.

connect with desirable jobs should be part of every
school-to-work agenda.

One moreelementthat ensures the transition from school to desirableemployment—
is job placement assistance. To fulfill this requirement, someone should contact em-
ployers, listjobs, screen candidates and send them offto interviews. High schoo!s should
coordinate placement services with one ano-her and with local community colleges to
avoid burdening employers with an army of competing job developers. Many contract
with local empioyment agencies or with community-based organizations.

Finally, no school-to-work system is complete without evaluation and follow-up—
to determine if students are gaining academic and vocational skills...if they are getting
and holding career-related jobs with real opportunities for advancement. This assess-
ment process should monitor student drop-out rates, and should measure such factors
as attendance, punctuality and positive attitudes— all of which are important consid-
erations in the world of work. To do this effectively, schools should keep in touch with
students well after graduation. Some follow all students, graduates and dropouts alike;
others maintain contact with only a sampling of their graduates.

Schools that publish this tracking data in “report cards” to parents, and in course
catalogs, encourage students to choose among programs on the basis of academic
achievement scores, job or college placement records, completion or graduation
Tates, or job earnings after graduation. By knowing how prior graduates have done,
students and parents can make better choices about which schools to attend and which
courses to take.

i

Li



stn
a

vovon THE ESSENTIALS

|
i e know what makes schools effective.
Good schools are safe schools, free from drugs
and violence.
Good schools are run by strong principals with specific

goals that are promoted energetically among faculty, students
; and parents.

EDUCATION GOALS

(In Brief)

BY TEE YEAR 2000...

if
i
|
|
i
|
|
| THE NATIONAL
|
|
i
| All children in America will
start school ready to learn.
The high school graduation

rete will increase to af least
$e percent.

i American students will
' be competent in the core
{ subiccts.

U.S. students will be first
in the world in science and
| mathematics achievement.

Every adult American will
ke literete and possess the
skills necessary to compete
in a world economy.

Every school will be safe
ane free of drugs.

Good schools provide students with a solid grounding in
core subjects such as mathematics, science, English, history and
geography.

In the best schools, teachers and administrators work
hard to involve parents in their children’s education, and hold
themselves accountable for results which are shared with par-
ents on a regular basis.

Above all, the most effective schools have high expectaticns
and standards for students— the underlying assumption is that
every student can learn.

But even with all of these characteristics, there is still some-
thing missing. Schools need to have a strategy in place that rec-
ognizes that students learn in different ways, that they need to
see the connection between what they are learningand the value
it holds in their lives.

A School-to-Work system is a new essential— one that will
help reduce dropout rates, counter the decline of qualified,
capable workers and help all students— including the large
majority whe do not go on to four-year colleges— to plan...
enthusiastically...for their own futures.

Every School-to-Work system should be guided by four basic
principles:

1
HIGH STANDARDS

Allshouldbe designed toencourage participantstoattainhigh :

“cademic standards.
2.
STAY IN SCHOOL

All should be designed to encourage young pecnle to stay in

school and become productive, self-reliant citizens.
3.
LINK WORK AND LEARNING
Allshould link classroom curriculum to work-site experiences
and emphasize lifelong learning.

4.
EMPLOYMENT AND CAREERS
All should enhance students’ prospects for employment...
on a path that provides significant opportunity for continued
education,a broadening of personal horizons, and on-going
career development.

Itisimportant, in all of this, to keep priorities straight. During
teen years the emphasis should be on learning, not on working.
Part-time jobs should not detract from lessons and skill-build-
ing. Getting paid should never supersede the importance of
acquiring knowledge and experiencing new, lifelong career
possibilities.



but most need to learn math,
science or history in context—
in a real-world setting, where
the principles and ideas are
applied to everyday problems
and solutions.

The goal
is to provide
students
with options
that will
help them
learn and
gain the skills
needed to
compete in
our changing

world.

Communities around the
country are experimenting
with programs tat provide
challenging academics, allow
students tolearn incontextand
give them the opportunity to
exploreand prepare for careers.
The successful ones dependon
collaborationamongacademic
and vocational teachers, stu-
dents, parents, employers and
community leaders.

The goal is to provide stu-
dents with options that will
help them learn and gain the
skills neededto compete inour
changing world.

Consider the many addi-
tional options:

TECH-PREP
Tech-Prepcombinesacademic
studies with job-related learn-
ing within a plan that usually
Tinks the final nwo years of high
school with two additional
yearsofcollege. People fromin-

dustry join high school and
community college teachersto
develop curriculum, teach les-
sons and monitor students in
school andat theworksite. The
carefully sequenced curricu-
lumintegrates high-level math,
science, language and social
studies with enough occupa-
tional training to qualify them
for technically demanding em-
ployment positions or ad-
vanced schooling.

Inmany programs, students
progressat theirown speed. Af-
termasteringbasiccompeten-
cies, they can move on to
college-level courses even
while still in high school. Some-
times they receive wages for
on-the-job time. Diplomas are
awarded upon completion of
the high school half of the pro-
gram. Associate degrees and
certification in various occupa-
tional fields are granted upon
completion of the final half of
their studies.

With the help of federal
dollars for qualified pro-
grams, Tech-Prep is one of

oe”, I
gee,

the fastest growing cur-
riculum innovations

in the United States
today.

YOUTH

APPRENTICESHIPS
Youth Apprenticeships
Tepresenta new twist to
thelong standing partner-
ship between business and
labor unions seeking to train
skilled workersin the construc-
tion and metal trades.

This newest school-to-work
option is designed to expose
students to work-day realities

in areas such as health care,
banking, insurance, law, hos-
pitality and retailing— while
they are still in high school.
Employers or labor/manage-
ment groups play a major
tole in setting up these pro-
giams. Participants spend part
ofeach school week at their re-
spective work sites, the rest
back in the classroom.
Students are generally
treated as regular employees,
with work assignments that
contribute to the main-line
flow of the employer's busi-
ness. The on-the-job empha-
sisison active learning butthe
intention is to provide much
more thanroutinejob training.

Cooperative
Education

College
Prep

Students see the need for
strong writing, speaking and
reasoning abilities, and for
knowing mathematical, tech-
nical and scientific principles.
Their job-site employee-men-
tors help them develop the so-
cial skillsand workattitudesso
necessary for success in any
employment situation.

These temporary employ-
ment connections give stu-
dentsachancetotry outactual
working situations and gain
actual job references for their
resumes
prior to

Tech
Prep

a

—

CAREER
COUNSELING
AND
INFORMATION

School-B
Enterpr


.

- sires WHAT YOU CAN DO-

v Specific goals...endorsed and supported by parents
and the employer community;

x A strong grounding in core subjects— mathematics,
science, English, history and geography;

V_ High expectations for students combined with a be-
lief that all children can learn and succeed;

Direct and active involvement of local employers in
career guidance, curriculum development, work-site
teaching, skills certification and job placement;

. Allschool counselors trained and qualified to provide
career guidance; :

IIS

At every grade level, lessons that show how what is
taught applies to the world of work;

A Career Resource Center with up-to-date informa-
tion about wide-ranging career opportunities;

Im IN

Proper and frequent use of vocational interest and
aptitude tests;

v7 A commitment to encourage all students to develop
personal career plans;

Start by comparing what is available at your school with the elements of a high quality School-to-
| Work system. Effective School-to-Work systems have most of the following components:

v Competency-based programswhich allowstudents
to progress at their own speed and graduate when
they demonstrate a mastery of required job skills;

v Focus Schools (or schools-within-schools) with par-
ticular missions or career-vocation themes;

v ATech-Prep program that connects high school
courses with two-year college technical training;

v¥ Other career-related learning options— youth ap-
prenticeships, cooperative education, school-based
enterprises, vocational student organizations;

ca Certification of students based on demonstrated
competencies relative to skill standards endorsed
by employers;

x Jobplacementservices which connectstudents with
part-time, summer or full-time job opportunities;
and,

v On-going monitoring and evaluation of students’

success in movingon to meaningfulemployment or
additional education.

FOR MORE INFORMATION...

+ America’s Choice: High Skills Or Low Wages!Commission on the Skills of
the American‘Vorkforce. National Center on Education and the Economy,
39 State Street. Suite 500, Rochester, NY, 14614. phone: 716-546-7620;
fax; 716-546-3145.

* Career Information Delivery System (CIDS), computerized data base of
job-related information. National Occupational Information Coordinat-
ing Committee, Washington, D.C., 202-653-5665.

* Combining School And Work: Options in High School and Two-Year Col-
leges. Office of Vocational and Adult Education. U.S. Departmentof Educa-
tion, Washington. D.C.. 20202-7100. 1991. 202-205-5451.

+ Hands and Minds: Redefining Success n Vocational Technical Education,
Education Writers Association and William T. GrantFoundation,Commis-
sionon Youthand America’s Future, Washington, D.C., 1992. 202-429-9680,

+ Hull, Dan and Parnell, Dale, Tech Prep Associate Degree: A Win/Win Expe-
rience. The Center For Occupational Research and Development, Waco,
Texas, 1991. 1-800-231-3015.

+ Portraitsof Excellence: The Secretary's Awards for Outstanding Vocational:
Technical Education Programs, Office of Vocational and Adult Education,
U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington,
D.C. 20202-7100, October, 1992, 202-205-5451.

+ Real Jobs for Real People, An Employer's Guide to Youth Apprenticeship.
National Alliance of Business, 1201 New York Avenue, NW, Suite 700, Wash-
ington, D.C. 20005, 202-289-2917.

C
a

+ Rosenbaum, James E. et al., Youth Apprenticeship in America: Guidelines
for Building an Effective System. William T.Grant Foundation Commission
on Youth and America’s Future, Washington, D.C. 1992.

* School-to-Work Connections: Formulas for Success, U.S. Department of
Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Office of Work-Based
Learning, 200 Constitution Avenue NW. N-5626, Washington, D.C. 20210,
202-219-5281.

+ Vocational Education for The 21st Century, National Dropout Prevention
Center, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, September. 1992,
803-656-2599.

+ Youth Apprenticeships, Office of Work-Based Learning, Employmentand
Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Av
enue N.W., Room N-4649, Washington, D.C., 20210, 202-535-5281.

For additional information about developing a School-to-Work sysiem in
your community, contact:

Office of Vocational and Adult Education

US, Department of Education

400 Maryland Avenue, $.W.

Washington, D.C, 20202-7100

Phoue: 202-205-5451

ED/OVAES2-13

US. Department of Education “PEST CQPY AVAILABLE SS


ETT

. DOCUMENT RESUME _

ED 353 404 CE 062 812

TITLE Here Is What We Must Do at School To Get Our Students
Ready for Work. Blueprint for a School-to-Work
System.

INSTITUTION Department of Education, Washington, DC.

REPORT NO ED/OVAE92-13

PUB DATE 92

NOTE 9p.

PUB TYPE Guides - General (050)

EDRS PRICE MFO1/PCOl Plus Postage.

DESCRIPTORS Apprenticeships; Career Counseling; Career Guidance;

*Career Planning; Cooperative Education; “Education
Work Relationship; High Schools; High School
Students; Job Placement; Lator Force Development;
Lifelong Learning; School Business Relationship;
School Holding Power; Student Employment;
*Transitional Programs; Vocational Education;
*Vocational Training Centers; Work Experience
Programs

ABSTRACT

This pamphlet is a four~step blueprint for a
school-to-work system for getting students ready for work. Step one
proposes that every school-to-work system be guided by the following
principles: (1) encourage participants to attain high academic
standards; (2) encourage students to stay in school; (3) link
classroom curriculum to work-site experiences and emphasize lifelong
learning; and (4) enhance students' prospects for employment. Step 2
ensures a career resource center in every high school to provide
career counseling and information about careers. In step 3, the
school-to-work system provides students with options that will help
them learn and gain the skills needed to compete. The following
options are suggested: youth apprenticeships, cooperative education,
tech prep, school-based enterprises, career academies,
vocational-technical schools, and vocational student organizations.
Step 4 is to certify graduates in terms of what they have learned and
to support them in the following ways: (1) be sure graduates know how
to apply for employment; (2) offer job placement assistance; and (3)
provide evaluation and follow-up to see whether graduates are getting
and holding career-related jobs. A checklist of activities and a list
of 12 sources for wore information are provided. (CML)

ev TA AT I I IEA SER IO TOI III I ITI I TAIT IT TEES III LITT TIT I AAAI AI TIT ATTA IASI HII I IOS

* Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made *

* from the original document. *
Je TOSS SIS HST nISIT AIST OSC TSC EI ICIS IGT OSE IO COT I TITS A TOE



claduation. They receive high
school diplomas and the par-
ticular certificates of mastery
which qualify them for
direct employment out of
high school. Many go on to
community colleges to obtain
associate degrees in their re-
spective fields.

COOPERATIVE
EDUCATION
Cooperative Education is an-
other well regarded approach
that links school with actual
on-the-job experience. While
similar in many ways to ap-
prenticeships, Co-op Ed pro-
grams are usually organized

Youth
Apprenticeship

Vocational-
Technical
Schools

Vocational
Student
Organizations

and administered by schools
rather than by employers or la-
bor-management groups. Stu-
dents who enroll in this
program receive one or two in-
troductory courses before being
placed in temporary jobs re-
lated to personal career choices;
teachers and employers work
together to ensure that the par-
ticipants learn and perform job
tasks in accordance with their
mutual expectations. Schools
will generally make accommo-
dations for teachers tohave op-
portunities tovisit students’ job
sites and review their progress
with working supervisors. Stu-
dents often find their own jobs,
but schools also obtain place-
ments andemploy-

Career
Academies

ers frequently come forward
with listings of part-time
openings.

SCHOOL-BASED
ENTERPRISES
School-Based Enterprises are
individual or sequenced high
school courses setup asactual
student-run businesses.
Sandwich shops, bookstores,
printshops, childcarecenters,
plant nurseries... even auto
Tepair service centers or con-
struction programs in which
students build boats, houses
or other items which are then
sold... are among the more
notable examples. Students
study the business side of their
operations as they develop
particular occupational skills.
Profits generated by these en-
terprises are funnelled back
into the program or paid
to them as wages. These stu-
dent-run programs usually
generate a sense of pride
and responsibil-
ity among

partici-
pants and
the com-
munity.
CAREER
ACADEMIES
Career Academies are spe-
cial focus programs in which
academic and vocational in-
structors collaboratearounda
single theme, Most are
schools-within-schools, but
often these programs encom-
pass theentireschool. Military
academies and parochial and
private prep schools are long-
familiar versions of the focus
school concept, but the trend
now is to the popular magnet

programs organized around
various career aspirations.
Most are operated at the high
school level, but special focus
programs are also being intro-
duced at elementary and jun-
ior high schools.

Often assisted by advisory
boards made up of qualified
representatives ofthe featured
career theme, individual
schools develop concentrated
programs in the arts, com-
merce, scienceand technology,
electronics, languagesanden-
vironmental science.

These programs engender a
tremendous sense of commu-
nity among students, teachers
and outside instructors who
shareacore of common values
and enthusiasm for the acad-
emy theme. Because students
work with the same teachers
over the course ofthe extended
program, instructors become
more directly involved with
their students’ individual
progress...and success.

These special focus schools
are favored among parents,
students and employers be-
cause they teach particular
things extremely well.

VOCATIONAL-

TECHNICAL SCHOOLS
Vocational-Technical Schools
are specialized schools. To-
day they generally offer high-
quality technology education
which combines hands-on
skill-building with substantive
courses that open, rather than
foreclose, learning options.
Graduates come away with
marketable employmentskills
andlevels of academic qualifi-



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Blueprint
fora
School-to-Work
System

US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
(Once ot Raucatione: Reseaie® and improvement
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFOR!
ENTER (ERIC!
nt nas been epIodeL Ad as
e'son ot orgenzation

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=== = U.S. Depariment-of Education—— AIL IBLE —=



~~ GETTING YOUNG PEOPLE READY FOR WORK...

.». Should never be the sole thrust of school. But for many practical reasons, it is terribly important. More so
today than ever before! Why? It’s this simple. Every year in America, more than one million teens start high
school. Butas soon as they do, most can't wait to graduate. Far too many don't. Three out of ten quit school well
before graduation. Fewer than half who finish go on to college.

Since the
workplace is
undergoing a

dramatic
restructuring,

we must worry
that young
people will
experience
even more
difficulty than
before in
finding work
to sustain
themselves and
their families.

The problem is— too many
of our students just don't see
the relevance of school. Try as
they might, theysimply cannot
connect long, dreary hours of
books, assignments, drills and
tests with what, for them, isthe
real world “out there.” They
long to move on to where “the
action is”... make money...get
on with their lives.

Seldom do fresh-from-
school youngsters with lim-
ited academic and technical
skills connect with anything
but minimum-wage chore
jobs. Good jobs often require
some postsecondary training
or, in that frustrating catch-22
sense, “...several years of work
experience!”

Yet jobs areavailable—even
for high-school graduates—
that pay well and provide op-
portunities for growth,
tesponsibility and personal ful-
fillment. In fact, the number of
desirable work opportunities
grows each year.

But employers look for can-
didates who have actual work
expetience, perform well on
teams, know how to operate
computers and sophisticated
equipment, are able to solve
problems and exercise per-
sonalinitiative. What they gen-
erally find are young people
who are sadly short on qualifi-
cations for all but the most
menial jobs.

e

As a result, far too many of
our youth are dead-ended be-
fore they even get started. Since
the workplace is undergoing a
dramatic restructuring, we
must worry that they will ex-
perience even more difficulty
than before in finding work to
sustain themselves and their
families. In the face of these
changes, we cannot afford to
hav: our schools continue
teaching the same things the
same way.

Parents, educators, employ-
ers—anyoneconcemed forthe
future of America—can find
hope in our country's six
National Education Goals. In-
cluded among them is the
pledge that allcitizens of work-
ing age— with the need or de-
sire for employment— will
have the skills needed to get,
and hold, good jobs.

Today, thousands of com-
munities are working to reach
the National Education Goals
because they understand that
better schools and stronger
communities are the key to
their future. All of them have
accepted the four-part chal-
lenge to become AMERICA
2000 communities. They are
adopting the goals, developing
their own community-wide
strategies to reach those goals,
devising report cards to moni-
tor progress, and planning for
at least one New American
School. These communities
know that reaching the goals

willmeanstartingfrom scratch
and reinventing almost every
element of education.

More and more communi-
tiesare changing howtheyhelp
students prepare for the move
from school into the work-
place. For too long, students
have not been prepared for
the demands of the real world
and have not been given
enough help in makingthat dif-
ficult move.

That's why many communi-
ties are developing innova-
tive ways to improve the tran-
sition from school to work, and
why the U.S. Department of
Education encourages more of
these efforts,

We invite you to join this ef-
fort. First, see what we must do
at school to help our students
get ready for good jobs...for
careers...for successful, pro-
ductive lives. Then, do all you
can to see these things happen
inyourschools...at yourplaces
ofemployment...andthrough-
out your community.

Detan Sor ancl—

Betsy Brand

Assistant Secretary
Office of Vocational and
Adult Education