This paper presents a faculty in-service overview of college and career readiness in P-12 school counseling. It defines key terms, surveys current enrollment trends and earnings disparities across demographic groups, and outlines major career development theories — including Savickas' theory of career construction and Brown's value-based theory. The paper examines the ASCA National Model, ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors, and NOSCA's Eight Components of College and Career Readiness. It also addresses relevant federal, state, and local legal and ethical considerations, defines the school counselor's roles, and presents practical strategies for supporting student transitions from high school to postsecondary education and careers.
College readiness, as Conley (as cited in Curry and Milsom, 2017) indicates, is a multifaceted term. In basic terms, it seeks to capture the need for students to be prepared to successfully navigate college life and meet its demands. This entails ensuring that students have the disposition, skills, and knowledge necessary to successfully transition to an institution of higher learning.
Career readiness, on the other hand, concerns ensuring that students possess certain skills relevant to various career pathways. Skills captured under the Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE), as cited in Curry and Milsom (2017), include core academic skills, employability skills, and technical, job-specific skills.
As Curry and Milsom (2017) indicate, recent years have seen an increase in college attendance and enrollment. This growth has been especially pronounced among minority students — specifically Hispanics and Blacks. It should be noted, however, that although Blacks and Hispanics have registered impressive increases in college enrollment, Curry and Milsom (2017) are categorical that "smaller percentages of minority students attend college compared to their majority peers" (p. 4).
It has long been established that there is a high correlation between educational attainment and employment and income outcomes. Curry and Milsom (2017) indicate that 72.1%, 67.5%, and 61.7% of bachelor's degree graduates, associate degree holders, and high school graduates, respectively, find full-time jobs. Although some progress has been made over the years, earnings disparities still persist across various demographic categories. Various initiatives continue to be advanced in an effort to enhance college enrollment and ensure that graduates are successful in their respective careers.
Several major career development theories are applicable to high school settings. These include, but are not limited to: Gottfredson's theory of circumscription and compromise; Holland's theory of vocational choice; Super's life-span, life-space theory; Savickas' theory of career construction; and Brown's value-based theory. Career development theories particularly applicable to grade 12 include Savickas' theory of career construction and Brown's value-based theory.
Savickas' theory of career construction posits that the development of an individual's career takes place through that individual's perspectives on life and career scenarios. In seeking to help learners construct their careers, one should take into consideration the learners' predominant themes in life and listen to their inner voices. This essentially involves ensuring that the vocational identity learners embrace at present is integrated into the direction of life they wish to follow.
Brown's value-based theory concerns itself with the relevance of the values a person holds dear in that person's career decisions. As Curry and Milsom (2017) point out, when students are making crucial decisions about their life and career, there may be a need for a counselor to ensure that students not only identify but also take into consideration their predominant values.
"ASCA model, NOSCA components, and holistic career development"
"Federal, state, and local legal obligations for counselors"
"Counselor roles, faculty strategies, and postsecondary transitions"
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