Middle school career studies should provide opportunities for career exploration, build self-awareness, learn about potential careers and develop a plan to reach future goals. It capitalizes on their developing abilities to think abstractly, and their preferences for teamwork and active learning through relevant real-life scenarios. These preferences make middle school a natural time for students to learn about careers and develop skills such as problem solving, critical thinking and teamwork through career exploration activities.
The Kentucky Academic Standards for Career Studies outline the minimum content standards Kentucky
students should learn within each grade-band. The standards address what is to be learned but do not direct
how learning experiences are to be designed or what resources should be used.
These courses provide opportunities to engage students with skills, knowledge and tasks of a career cluster. These are introductory and do not count toward pathway completion if a student continues in the program area
CAREER EXPLORATION IS FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS, TOO!
Children become aware of the world of careers as early as preschool. Even through simple life experiences, the world of work is all around us. We encourage teachers, advisers, counselors, and parents to use the resources on the Elementary School Career Resources website to introduce career choices. There are career-specific books as well as activities which should allow children to begin to form their own ideas about career roles.