This spring the U.S. Departments of Education, Health and Human Services, and Labor published a joint letter describing the ways in which high schools and human service agencies can work with the American Job Center network, as well as with employers, to provide career information and guidance and to foster career readiness.
After reviewing the time and resource limitations placed on counselors in most secondary schools that can make it difficult to provide high-quality career counseling, the letter promotes partnerships between schools, workforce development and related agencies, and employers to help students prepare for college and career.
Specifically, American Job Centers are encouraged to support schools by:
- co-locating in high schools or community colleges, or using mobile units to visit high schools
- providing training to counselors, library media specialists and teachers on using American Job Center services
- working with students eligible for programs like the WIA Title I Youth Program and providing information on Registered Apprenticeships
- sharing workforce and labor market information with schools
- helping schools engage employers and provide work-based learning
The appendix to the letter includes career counseling resources, relevant research and examples of partnerships in which education and the workforce system are working together to provide career information and guidance to students and parents.
Comments