IECA National Conference 2005

Getting Real

Helping Teens Find Their Future.

Ken Gray, PSU.Gty@psu.edu

Background

• Getting into college is easy, – graduating is not, – finding college work is even more difficult.

• Education is the definer of social class.

• The elite college income payoff is decreasing.

Where Business Leaders Went to CollegeHarvard Business School

Ivy 23%Top 100 35%Other 42%

Background

• Four Factors that promote college persistence: commitment, academics, ability to pay, and involvement.

• Plans developed by parent(s) and teens together, are the most likely to succeed.

The One Way to Win Message Defined

1. Get a four year college degree98% agree, 72% plan on grad school

2. In order to insure economic successThree of top 4 reasons for going to college are economic.

3. In the professional ranksProfessional/managerial 65% Technical 6%

One Way to Win MythCounting the Winners

The fate of 24 children in a typical elementary school classroom in the U.S.

7 drop out of high school5 go to work (only 22% get training)6 do not graduate from college3 do not find college jobs3 win the “One Way to Win” game

Percentage of Occupations Requiring Different Levels of

Education

Graduate Ed.8%

Baccalaureate12%

Technical10%

OJT27%

No training43%

Graduate Ed.

Baccalaureate

Technical

OJT

No training

Employment Projections for University Graduates

2000-2012

Supply Demand Employed

Graduates 1,324,000 730,400

55%

Fundamental Fears & Misconceptions

• There are so many university graduates that they will take all good jobs.

• College grads earn more because they have a college degree.– education explain less than 10% of earnings.– 83% of associate degree holders have same

annual earnings as 4-yr grads.

(Ulreich,NYT, 1/17/05)

Finding theOther Ways to Win.

The High Skills/High Wage Strategy

A. Understand three labor market realities.

B. Investigate technician level occupations within key economic

sectors

1. The High Skills/High Wage Workplace

EngineersTechnicians Operators

Semi-conductor Manufacturing

Ratio: 1 to 2 to 7

2. Labor Market Projections Can be Misleading

• Opportunity is greatest in occupations that demand exceed supply.

• Fast or slow growing growing occupations may or may not mean opportunity.

Shortages of Technicians

• There will be 100,000 more jobs for computer technicians than computer engineers.

Shortages of Technicians

• Almost half of IT, craft, and precision manufacturing jobs were filled by non-native born workers in the 1990’s.

Shortages of Technicians

• While construction trades employment is predicted to grow only by 13% retirement of older workers results in a net demand of over two million jobs from 2000 to 2010

3. Occupational Skill -Not Degrees- Provide Labor Market Advantage

High Skill/ High Wage

Low Skill/Low Wage

Work Ethics

Academic Skills

Occupational Skills

B. Investigate technician level occupations within key

economic sectors

• Concentrate on major economic sectors or clusters.

• Concentrate on technician level occupations within these sectors.

Step 3:Typical High Skill/High Wage Technician Careers

Health Occupations

• dental hygienist

• license practical nurse

• radiology technician

Information Technology

• computer systems installation

and repair

• Electro-mechanical repair

technicians

Craft and Construction

• construction project manager

• plumbing/pipe fitting technician

• precision welding

Manufacturing• drafting technicians• manufacturing systems

operators

Service Occupations• automatic office

managers• professionally trained

chef

The Four Step Plan for Post-High school Planning

1. Determine the goal–College?

–College and graduation?

–College, graduation and commensurate employment?

The Four Step Plan

2. Struggle to develop a

“tentative”

career plan.

Student Outcomes Goals of Career Development Programs

Make the best career decision possible based on what teens know “now” about themselves and the world of work. If this is a good decision, the next decision will be even better.

Tentative career decisions are not necessary final decisions, they are just the first decision.

Consequences of Indecision

• One quarter of those who start at a four year institution transfer.

• Many college now have prerequisites required for entering college majors.

Consequences of Indecision

• Only 17% of those who enroll in community college transfer programs graduate with a four year degree. (Adelman, (1999), USDE).

Teens & Parents

• Less than half feel comfortable with their career plans.

• 50% of seniors change their career goal in 18 months.

• Parents looking for help. Do not want children to pursue their career.

All my life I’ve always wanted

to be somebody, but I see now

I should have been more specific.

Wagner, 1986

Old Advice that is Now Bad Advice

• Postpone career choices as long as possible - You don’t want to close any doors.

• Do not worry about career/college major indecision - you will decide that in college.

Student Outcomes Goals of Career Development Programs

By the tenth grade all students will have participated in activities designed to help them identify several career options.

In the eleventh and twelfth grades all students will participate in activities that allow them to verify these choices, using the results to develop postsecondary plans.

Career Verification Activities Preferred by Teens

Job Shadowing

71% Vocational Education

56%

Internships 64% Unpaid employment

51%

Paid employment

61% Guest speakers 36%

Career focused academic class

60% Career interest inventories

17%

The Four Step Plan

3. Have a Back Up Plan

Plan A & Plan B&

Be willing to consider if plan B should become plan A

The Four Step Plan

4. Be willing to consider all the options!• High School Career & Technical Education• Prep Year• Military, Apprenticeship, Employment• One Year Technical Certificate• Two Year Technology Degree• Four Year College

Wake Up Calls. How to know when plan B should be plan A.

The Obvious Wake-Up CallsSchool has always been a source of

conflict (“I hate school.”)High School Grades & AttendanceCollege Admission Test ScoresLack of Career Direction (“I don’t know

what I want to do.”)

The Not So Obvious Wake-Up Calls

Generally evasive about after high schoolAvoids taking the college entrance tests

(SAT, ACT)Never gets around to filling out College

applications. Applies to colleges based on the difficulty of

the application,where friends are going, nice climate, good skiing, etc.., etc.., etc..

Four Considerations When Counseling Teens

• There is more than “one way to win” . Remember the 1-2-7

• Labor market advantage comes from having skills in demand not degrees.

• Help teens develop a tentative career plan

• Encourage a Back-up Plan