A recent report made by America’s Career Resource Network Association (ACRNA) supports the importance of career counseling for students and society as a whole. The paper outlines the educational, social and economic benefits of comprehensive career counseling in schools. Career education in which students can get the guidance they need can help point students in the right direction. The COPSystem Comprehensive Career Guidebook and Leader’s Guide helps teachers advise students on the relationship of education to the world of work. Also the text encourages students to explore their career options through the use of the COPSystem assessments.
The ACRNA makes the important point that it is informed career decision-making that ultimately results in the benefits to society. Career education and guidance is a continuous process based on some key steps. A few of these important steps are:
1. Creating awareness
of career options through
assessment of interests,
values and skills.
2. Relating education and
training to occupations.
3. Planning for education
and training.
4. Making informed career
decisions and implementing
them.
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Most importantly, the career development process must be applied throughout an individual’s life as he or she adapts to change. As new technology emerges and work structures change, people will be continuously making career decisions and adapting their plans to fit new goals.
The report cites the latest career guidance studies and concludes that there are three major categories of benefits resulting from career education and counseling. The three categories are Educational, Social, and Economic benefits. Following is a listing of the benefits listed in
the report.
EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES
• Improved educational achievement.
• Improved preparation and
participation in postsecondary
education.
• Better articulation among levels
of education.
• Higher graduation and retention
rates.
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ECONOMIC BENEFITS
• Lower rates and shorter period of
unemployment.
• Lower costs of worker turnover.
• Lower incarceration and criminal
justice costs.
• Increased worker productivity.
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One important resource that can be used for informed career decision making is the Comprehensive Career Guidebook and Leader’s Guide. The Guidebook and Leader’s Guide are designed to provide in-depth interpretation of the COPSystem inventory results and to promote career awareness and exploration as well as educational planning. Created for use with career units or courses these two items may be purchased and used together or separately.
The Guidebook leads students through the scoring and interpretation of the COPS, CAPS and COPES as well as the Study Attitudes and Methods Survey (SAMS). This 124 page workbook is full of activities that encourage students to consider personal characteristics in relationship to occupations. As they work through the Guidebook, students will not only gain knowledge, but will also actively acquire academic and job related skills. The Leader’s Guide includes 92 pages of lesson plans, occupational information and other aids for career education.
Career education and counseling are beneficial to the student and any individual and ultimately society as a whole. There is an obvious need for schools to develop and encourage career exploration.
Reference
Brown, B. (2003, December). The Education, social, and economic value of informed and considered career decisions. National Career Development Career Association Newsletter. Retrieved from http://www.ncda.org.
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