Successful Career Exploration Starts Here

Career Exploration Opportunity Plan

6-12 Grade Career Opportunity Plan:

Students in the following grades are required to take the following courses or opportunities during each grade level.

6th Grade: Career Explorations 1

7th Grade: Career Explorations 2

8th Grade: Students are required to choose at least one of the following career exploration courses:

• Agricultural Explorations

• Business and Healthcare Explorations

• Manufacturing Explorations

9th Grade: Students are required to choose at least one of the following career/college prep courses:

• Career Planning

• Reaching your academic potential

• Business and IT Explorations

• Business and Marketing Explorations

• Careers in Criminal Justice 1

• Education and Training Explorations

• Engineering Explorations

• Introduction to Military Careers

• Healthcare Explorations

• IT Explorations

10th Grade: Students are required to choose at least one of the following career exploration courses:

• Career Planning

• Reaching your academic potential

• Business and IT Explorations

• Business and Marketing Explorations

• Careers in Criminal Justice 1

• Careers in Criminal Justice 2

• Education and Training Explorations

• Engineering Explorations

• Introduction to Military Careers

• Healthcare Explorations

• IT Explorations

11th Grade: Students are required to choose at least one of the following career exploration courses:

• Achieving your college and career goals

• Career Planning

• Reaching your academic potential

• Business and IT Explorations

• Business and Marketing Explorations

• Careers in Criminal Justice 1

• Careers in Criminal Justice 2

• Education and Training Explorations

• Engineering Explorations

• Introduction to Military Careers

• Healthcare Explorations

• IT Explorations

• Work-Based Learning

• Youth Apprenticeship

12th Grade: Students are required to choose at least one of the following career exploration courses:

• Achieving your college and career goals

• Career Planning

• Reaching your academic potential

• Business and IT Explorations

• Business and Marketing Explorations

• Careers in Criminal Justice 1

• Careers in Criminal Justice 2

• Education and Training Explorations

• Engineering Explorations

• Introduction to Military Careers

• Healthcare Explorations

• IT Explorations

• Work-Based Learning

• Youth Apprenticeship

Why Career Focused Education?

Career preparation programs provide students with opportunities to apply what they know in real-world settings and to gain experience in their interested career path (Papadimitriou, 2014). They also allow students to practice leadership skills and develop employability skills, work ethic, and teamwork through working. Neumark and Rothstein (2006) examined student participation in school-to-work programs while in high school and its impact on transitions to employment and higher education. Being involved in career-focused education can ....

* support students with skill development

* assist the student's transition from school to work easier

* help expose the student to different working environments

* develop personal growth 

* prepare students for leadership roles in their chosen field