Career Counseling Benefits Society
America's Career Resource Network Association (ACRNA) supports the importance of career counseling for students and society as a whole. In their report, ACRNA outlines the educational, social and economic benefits of comprehensive career counseling in schools. Providing students with a comprehensive career education program points students in the right direction and encourages them to stay in school to meet their career goals. The COPSystem Comprehensive Career Guidebook and Leader's Guide helps teachers advise students on the relationship of education to the world of work. Additionally, the text encourages students to explore their career options through the use of the COPSystem assessments.
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The ACRNA report 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
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 list of the benefits described in the report.
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Educational Outcomes
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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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Social Benefits
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Higher levels of job satisfaction and commitment
Shorter path to primary labor market for young workers
Lower incidence of work-related stress and depression
Reduced likelihood of work-related violence
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Economic Benefits
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Lower rates and shorter periods of unemployment
Reduced costs due to decreased turnover
Lower incarceration and criminal justice costs
Increased job productivity
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One important resource that can be used for informed career decision making is the COPSystem COPSystem 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 the importance of finding a job that is compatible with their interests and personality characteristics. 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.
Reference
Brown, B. (2003, December). The Education, social, and economic value of informed and considered career decisions. National Career Development Association Newsletter. Retrieved from: http://www.ncda.org.
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