When it comes to improving the performance of education systems, much of the discussion typically focuses on academic content, teacher quality, and school funding, all of which are undoubtedly important. But if success is to be measured by how well students ultimately do in the workplace after they leave school, there is another important element that needs to be front and center. It is the guidance and advice that students receive as they pursue their education towards their career.
Traditionally, most of the counseling students receive in middle school and high school has been related to college. Making decisions about higher education is undoubtedly important to a student's future path, but making those choices without a larger (and earlier) conversation about career aspirations may ultimately be too much. This puts many students at a disadvantage.
Career-focused advice and exploration opportunities, when done well, not only help students understand the range of options open to them, but also help them see the connections between what they are doing and what they are learning at school. It will also help you understand. A “lightbulb moment” regarding a particular career or field of interest can influence students, including informing their choices of which colleges to consider and, importantly, which majors and programs to pursue. It can lead you on a clearer path towards your goals.
A recent study by the Strada Educational Foundation and the Burning Glass Institute found that half of university graduates end up working in jobs that don't utilize their degree, making them ill-informed about what they study. It has been shown that making informed decisions is very important. It takes time to build your knowledge base and the confidence to navigate the maze from education to career. It needs to start in middle school.
Starting career conversations and activities in middle school doesn't mean locking teens into a career option before they get their driver's license. Early career exploration should be fun and engaging. It's about showing students the wide range of options available to them and helping them understand what interests them, what they're good at, and what different careers look like every day. Helping students build a deeper knowledge base about their career will ultimately help them understand what they need to do if they want to pursue a particular path.
A growing number of states are recognizing the importance of starting career exploration conversations in middle school in a low-pressure, high-information manner. A new report from American Student AssistanceⓇ (ASA) and Education Strategy Group finds that most states recognize career exploration in middle school as an important component of a student's education. This is good news given the important role state education leaders play in prioritizing these experiences. and preparing schools to deliver them in a consistent and effective manner.
But the report also reveals that many students struggle to help school districts and schools provide quality secondary school exploration. He is one of only five states that measures and supports the quality of middle school students' career exploration practices by collecting data. Only 16% of states encourage schools to prioritize middle school career exploration by including it in formal accountability plans. Additionally, middle school students express a desire to better understand their career options through hands-on experience, but say they do not receive many meaningful opportunities through school.
In addition to starting career exploration early on in a student's career path, we're also looking at ways to better align with the entire advice continuum that students receive throughout their K-12 education, through higher education, and into the workforce. You need good connectivity and continuity. Several states are leading efforts to think more comprehensively about the instruction students receive while traveling.
The Indiana Higher Education Commission, the Department of Education, and other agencies across the state have worked together to plan a clear, statewide approach to advising that connects the dots across various levels of the system. The resulting career coaching and navigation framework details key milestones at each grade level and provides students and their families with comprehensive, relevant, age-appropriate information about career paths at each stage. Make sure you receive the information you need. To help implement this strategy, the state is also awarding $25 million in career coaching grants to schools, career coaching providers, and other organizations involved in supporting student career navigation. Indiana's approach shows how, in an ideal scenario, the inquiry activities that students begin in middle school translate into courses they should take, work-based learning experiences they should consider, and higher education programs they should consider after high school. This will lead to clear advice regarding.
Kentucky has also recently undertaken an intensive statewide effort to strengthen advising strategies as core to student career success. In 2022, the state Council on Postsecondary Education launched the Kentucky Advisor Academy. The academy will serve as a hub and source of resources for K-12 and higher education schools and educators to improve their ability to provide high-quality, career-oriented instruction to their students. . This includes providing grants to K-12 public schools in the state to help schools partner with universities, employers, and community-based organizations to become more inclusive for students along the entire curriculum. This includes being able to build a coherent career advice and exploration experience.
There are some promising areas in these communities and others across the country, but students' education needs to be improved so that students and families understand their options and get a full picture of where those options will take them. Much work remains to be done to tailor advice across different stages of experience. Too many people still end up in their careers through a combination of chance and luck rather than deep exploration or intentional planning. Many people only discover what they like and are good at after years of studying or working in unrelated fields, which often means wasting time and money. Masu. While students' career interests grow and evolve as they grow older, our education system is helping students by providing better opportunities earlier to explore careers and understand how to pursue them. We can help more students become fulfilled, financially successful adults.