Transcript Futures Program

Transition Alliance
1st Annual Regional Conference
Connecting for Transition:
Partnerships, Tools & Strategies
CSU Chico
March 18, 2010
Transition
Starting with Assessment
Sue Sawyer
Transition Alliance
530-604-3150
www.shastacareerconnections.org
[email protected]
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Feel Like You are Navigating Transition in a
Sea of Change? Uncertainty? Chaos
IDEA
Mandates
Reform
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Our Challenge
• Prepare youth for jobs of today and the
changes of tomorrow
• Rich Feller, Counseling Knowledge Nomads for a Changing Workplace
• “ There are two kinds of workers: Owners and Temps”
• All jobs are access to occupational competence and
opportunities to develop new skills and competencies
that lead to knew opportunities.
Are Youth
Oil Tankers
Sailboats
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Opinion of CareerPlanner.com
Some things Students Should Know About Their Future Career
1) You will most likely live to be over 125 years old
If you are in high school or college right now, medical technology will
progress enough in your lifetime that you can expect to live past 125
years of age.
This means you might want to take a few hours now to plan your
career. What's a few hours and a few dollars when you have
another 100 years to spend?
2) Without a plan, you are like a ship without a rudder
Without a career plan you will be blown off course by the slightest
breeze.
College students are well known for changing majors, losing credits,
dropping out, or taking too long to graduate.
Without a clear career direction, or at least a few selected career
options in place, they wander from major to major. When times get
tough, and the classes become hard, self doubt begins to creep in.
Having a firm career direction will help keep you on track during tough 5
times.
And, some other trends to
consider…
• Aging population and increased life spans demographics that increase need for recreation,
home healthcare and long-term care.
• Internet effect linking consumers with
manufacturers -impact on the “middleman”
• Cocooning: Interest in saying home - making the
home more comfortable.
• Automation has just begun.
• Careers in less demand already: Mail Carrier (email), Retail Store positions (Internet shopping),
Auto Tune-Up
• Telecommunication
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And, they are Generation Y
Born between 1981 - 2000
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Diverse and Tolerant
Technologically Savvy / Impatient
Have only known life with a Computer
Independent
Dependent
Latch Key Kids Helicopter Parents
Self-Confident
Respect Learning
Socially Conscious
Impatient - Not willing to commit to longterm employment and/or training
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Goal-Setting Issues for
Challenged Youth
Setting Long-Term Goals Requires:
• Hope and Optimism about the future
• Confidence in Self
• Trust in Resources
Today
Today
Delay Gratification
Delayed Gratification
Complete Education
Go To Work
Need to Meet Immediate needs without support.
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Confidence
• “ I think a lot of people’s
confidence comes from their
parents encouragement and
backing. When people don’t think
they can do anything and manage
to do it, that builds confidence.”
Bill Gates, Parade Magazine
3/10/02
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Confidence
Self-confident people trust their abilities,
have a general sense of control over their
lives and believe that they will be able to
do what they wish, plan and expect.
Self-Confidence is derived from the:
• Attitude of others towards us
• Our personal expectations
• Our personal experiences
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How Do Youth Make Choices
Today?
The Logical Approach
Choose a career, find out what you have to learn (and major in) to get there.
Mystical Approach
Take general ed courses and wait for a white light to illuminate your career choice.
Cloning Approach
Follow the path of a teacher, friend or relative
Favorite Course Approach
Make a choices based on classes you enjoy – or avoid
Marketable Approach
What options will make the most money.
Opportunity
Where is a job-that I can do –where I want to live
Does the career guidance system we use address these choices?
Does it equip students to make self directed plans for their future?
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Implications for Career
Guidance
80% of today’s high school students will work in
jobs that don’t exist.
• 90% of the jobs of the future require knowledge
of computers.
• Lifelong employment with one company is a
thing of the past.
• Higher order thinking skills are critical. There are
fewer lower skills jobs-and pay and benefits are low.
• They may hold up to 25 jobs over their lifetime.
Effective Career Assessment and Guidance is Critical!
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How Can We Help Youth Define
their Goals and Dreams?
• Focus on their choice & involvement
• Encourage youth to actively explore options
through career exploration, research, experiences
in youth organizations/service-learning
• Encourage youth to take classes related to goals
• Encourage participation in activities in school & in
the community.
• Focus youth on their attributes & strengths.
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Transition: The Goal
Prepare our Youth to transition from high school
prepared for their Adult Roles . . .
Roles
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Worker
Responsible Family Member
Productive, Contributing Citizen
Life-Long Learner
. . . and to Function in Life Settings:
Work, Home, Community, Classroom
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IDEA & Transition The Mandate
• Facilitate movement from School-Post School Activities.
• Focus: Improve academic and functional achievement
to facilitate movement from school to post-school
activities (post-secondary education, vocational
education, integrated employment, continuing and adult
education, adult services, independent living or
community participation.
• Based on Youth’s strengths, preferences and interests.
• Includes instruction, related services, community
experience, development of employment and other postschool living objectives.
• Mandates the development of a plan that summarizes
skills, strengths, transition readiness, needs.
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The Spirit of Transition
Preparation for Adult Roles
Student Focused
Plans are based on student preferences and needsRequires students to develop Self Advocacy Skills
Collaboration: In School and in the community
Course of Study
Interdisciplinary / Extracurricular Activities
Service Learning / Volunteering
Agencies, Business Partners, Youth Serving
Organizations, Colleges
Engaging Parents, Family, Support system
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Most Career Decision-Making is
Unintentional and Uninformed…
• 78% of students credit their parents as the top adult
influence regarding career planning.
(Source: Ferris State University, April 2002)
• 65% of working adults do not believe they are in the
right job (NCDA/Gallup, 1999)
The Old Paradigm in Career Development
From : A Linear destination oriented model of
What do you want to be when you grow up?
Birth
Job choice
Retirement
Education/Training
Employment
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Research Tells Us Youth Need………
• Powerful Relationships
• Differentiated Instruction with multiple assessment
strategies
• Smaller Learning Communities
• Rigorous / Relevant Curriculum and the opportunity
to master skills that qualify them for employment,
further education and careers.
• Social / Behavioral Skills Development
• Academic / Career Development / Leadership Skills
and Youth Development Support systems
Reference: Educational Alternatives for Vulnerable Youth: Student Needs, Program Types and Research
Directions, The Urban Institute November 2003
Education Commission of the States: At Risk Youth
Jobs For The Future
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Changes in the Workplace
• Technology and the global economy has changed
the skills required for success in the workplace.
Year
1965
2000
2010
Professional
20%
20%
34%
Technical *
15%
68%
60%
Unskilled
65%
12%
6% **
• * Middle skill Jobs: Less than Bachelor’s degree
and more than a HS diploma
• ** and declining as technology and robotics
displace people and change the way we do jobs.
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Workplace Skills
Local Priorities
1. Interpersonal Skills
2. Communication
3. Personal Qualities
4. Thinking Skills
5. Academic Skills
6 Problem-Solving
Skills
And
skills do we test?
7. Which
Technology
Sources: Employer Survey, 2005
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21st Century Skills
Global Awareness
Financial, Economic,
Business,
Entrepreneurial literacy
Civic Literacy
Health Literacy
Learning / Innovation
skills
Information, Media,
Technology Skills
Life and Career Skills
Framework for 21st Century Skills
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Role of Work-Based Learning
• Engage, Motivate students in learning by
connecting classroom work with students’
personal and career interests.
• Reinforce and improve academic learning
• Engage students in new modes of thought.
• Develop students’ career/technical skills as a
means to learning.
• Advance students’ social and emotional
development towards adulthood.
• Enhance general workplace competencies,
such as communication, teamwork and
project planning.
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The Value of a Career Assessment and Guidance
Helps students develop insights
My Interests
What do I like to
Do?
My Talents and Skills:
What am I good at?
My Learning Style
How do I learn the best?
My Personality
What are my traits?
My Preferences
Where do I
want to work?
What careers
match my interests,
preferences,
abilities?
Who is assessed? The Student!
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Career Assessments
• Interests
• Aptitudes
• Personality
• Learning Preferences and Styles/Accommodations
• Employment Literacy Skills
• Talents
• Work Values / Preferences
• Experience
• Physical Factors
Can be formal (standardized, commercial) or
informal.
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Evaluating Transition Needs
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Confidence
Post-Secondary Education, Training Goals
Transportation
Living Arrangements
Personal Management
Leisure/Recreation
Health / Medical
Income / Resources
Developmental Assets
Support System
Eligibility for services
Resources
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Career Assessments answer the question
•What career is of interest?
•Should include assessment and experience
•Must be age and grade appropriate.
Barriers with Decision-making
Information: Awareness of choices, definitions
Experience: If I haven’t done it, I probably won’t like it!
Social Influences
Decision making style
Confidence
Effort
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Transition Assessments
Answers to Question: What are your life plans after high
school – and how can we help you achieve your goals and
dreams?
Focus includes
•Post-school adult living
•Personal Social skills
•Resources and Support Systems
•Identify “connections” to next environments, agencies,
resources
Self Advocacy Skills
Includes teaches, family/support system, Agency
reps.
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SO, WHERE DO WE BEGIN ?
Let’s Focus on Youth Development . . .
Youth Need a Plan for Their Future
A Plan Requires:
• The Ability to advocate for Self: Self Knowledge
• The Skills to determine your Plans & your Future
• Essential Employment Literacy Skills
• Knowledge of Resources and eligibiity
• Workplace Experiences
• Resources & Support Systems
and . . . We Need to Listen to their PLAN!
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The Value of Identifying Interests
• Motivation / Confidence
• Implications for the Course of Study
• Meaningful Community & Workplace
Experiences
• Helps youth set realistic goals for their future.
RESOURCES
Exploration / Experience
• RIASEC Holland Career Interest System
• Multiple Intelligences
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Learning Differences
Implications for the Classroom and the Workplace
Are your student linear thinkers
Or not
Verbal
Visual
Kinesthetic
Global
Confusion
Sequential
AHA
Passive
Active
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The Career Planning Cycle
Investigate/Research/Explore
Career & Education/Training
Options
Find the Job that is
Right for YOU!
Prepare:
Learn skills
MY
PLAN!
Reflect on insights gained
Develop Your
Personal Career Plan
Test the WatersGain Experience
Advocate for Yourself
A Modification of the Career Planning Cycle referenced in
The California Career Planning Guide, 2004
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QUALITY ELEMENT
Career Development
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Youth learn about Career Options
Youth develop Interests
Youth validate their Abilities & Skills
An opportunity for Reflection
Situational Assessment
Tangible Workplace Success
Builds Confidence
OPPORTUNITIES: Career Fairs, Industry Tours, Career
Exploration, Classes, Service-Learning, Work-Based
Training and Work Experience
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Recognize the Role of the Family
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Influence on goals, plans for the future.
Advocate
Life Coach
Support System after high school
Facing Transition
Changing roles / Adult “children”
Providing support to navigate transition
systems.
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Influences on Youth Decisions
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Parents
Teachers
Family Members / Friends
Peers
Counselor
Media
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Transition Assessment Toolkit
• Goal: Provide an array of resources that are
free, user-friendly tools that facilitate transition
assessment.
• Sections
• Introduction: Why
• Assessment Strategies How
• Agencies – Eligibility – Connections
• Resources – web-based access
• References
Let’s Explore!!!!
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