College and Career Readiness in K-8? Absolutely!

Have you ever wondered what you can do beyond guest speakers to expose your K-8 grade students and youth to different types of careers?  Are you unsure what activities are developmentally appropriate for school age children to get them ready for college and career?  

Research shows that career awareness and exploration activities are beneficial to elementary and middle school students and can assist students in discovering a pathway toward high school completion, college education, and productive employment.  Career awareness and exploration in grades K-8 lays a critical foundation for future development by helping young people to:

1. Develop knowledge of personal characteristics, interests, and aptitudes
2. Raise awareness of and respect for the diversity of the world of work
3. Understand the relationship between school performance and future choices
4. Develop a positive attitude toward work

Pathways Consultants has a history of supporting K-8 schools and after school programs that don’t historically offer career development activities for young people. We have found the following are essential ingredients to building career development skills in elementary and middle school classrooms and programs:

• Fun and engaging games and activities to engage young people in exploring personal interests, careers, and college options
• Developmentally appropriate online tools and digital media activities
• Project-based learning strategies to support job readiness skills and build student enthusiasm for future career options
• Infusing career and college awareness into existing curriculum
• Helping staff understand the economic and career trends and opportunities that will influence the labor market of today’s young people
• Educating parents and staff about financial aid and college savings tools to meet future costs of college
• Integrating the Common Core anchor standards into after school programming

Ideas and Resources for Professionals

Curriculum:

• Integrate Career Awareness Into Existing Curriculum:  Opportunities to integrate career awareness into science and social studies units are limitless. For example, a unit on the rainforest can include a section on types of occupations that rely on the survival of the rainforest or people who hold jobs working to preserve the rainforest.

• Draw Connections:  Help young people understand why a competency or skill is not only useful today in their school experience but is important for future college and career success. Draw the connection between careers of the past and careers of today through history and literature. Help student use math in real world situations with issues they care about like budgeting or potential future earnings. Invite students to interview adults in their lives about their work and educational experiences.

• Mock Enterprises and Projects:  Build workplace skills by creating opportunities for young people to work collaboratively on projects, mock or real site based enterprises or community projects. Employers are demanding collaborative team work and communication skills. The skill development needs to start early!

Curriculum Resources:

• Career Exploration Guides and Resources for Younger Students
• Elementary Career Development Lessons
• CTE Introduction Program - 19 Days of Career Exploration Lessons for Elementary School

Interactive Websites:

• KnowHow2Go
• Kids USA Jobs
• California Career Zone
• Reality Check
• Roadtrip Nation

Games:

• The Real Game California is an educational curriculum designed to introduce ten or more participants to the future they face in California’s rapidly changing work environment.
• Career Odyssey board game and Career Bingo from Jist Publishing
• Parachute4Teens - This book offers fun and interactive activities for young people to explore career and college options.

Let us know if you'd like to discuss how to integrate College and Career Readiness into your program! Kim Coulthurst and Amanda Gerrie, Partners, Pathways Consultants