Expanding Career Counseling

Many students are not getting the counseling they need about career pathway options, and a new publication from SME and the Manufacturing Skill Standards Council has recommendations on ways to change that.

Authors Leo Reddy, John Rauschenberger, Pam Hurt and Jan Bray review the barriers to comprehensive career counseling in K-12 schools, including:

• the high ratio of counselors to students
• little time in counselors’ schedules for more than administrative or disciplinary tasks
• lack of access to and training in how to use labor market information and lack of knowledge of occupational requirements
• a lack of support for career counseling and career development activities in schools

To address these challenges, the publication recommends that:

• all students have an education and career pathway plan by ninth grade
• certification be required for all career counselors, demonstrating competency in career development counseling and knowledge of career pathway requirements and industry requirements
• there be a ratio of no more than 1 counselor to 250 students
• schools commit to wide-ranging career development activities for students, career information provided to teachers and the integration of career and college counseling
• parents and guardians be engaged in the career counseling process
• high-quality web portals that include information on postsecondary and career options be developed

To facilitate these changes, education and workforce stakeholders will have to work in partnership, the authors note.

ACTE members are ahead of the game when it comes to helping students through high-quality career counseling. Learn more about the Guidance and Career Development Division and its resources at www.acteonline.org/guidance.

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