What is Work-Based Learning? The Benefits of Work-Based Learning · What is Work-Based Learning?...

2013 MnCareers Facilitator Guide 83

What is Work-Based Learning? Work-Based Learning is an element in education that provides students with opportunities to build career awareness, explore career options and further develop critical-thinking skills. Work-based learning describes any formalized learning that consists of instruction that occurs concurrently at a school and worksite.

The Benefits of Work-Based Learning:

To the Student: Improve academic achievement Realize relevance of education and apply knowledge in meaningful way Explore career options Increase self-confidence Acquire real workplace experience and work skills Connect with adult role models Expand educational opportunities

To the Parent: Become partners in the education of young child Collaborate with others to make informed career choices

for children

To the Schools: Improve academic achievement by participating students Improve student motivation resulting in better attendance

and graduation rates Improve relationship with the community

To the Employers: Better-prepare employees who understand workplace expectations Reduce recruitment and training costs Derive value from student's work Improve morale and management skills of current workers

Adapted from Connecting Youth to Work-Based Learning: Blueprint for a Quality Program

[Minnesota Department of Education, 2003]

2013 MnCareers Facilitator Guide Page 184

Career and Technical Education (Perkins) The Career and Technical Education unit (formerly Tech Prep) of the Minnesota State Colleges and University system and the Minnesota Department of Education brings together professionals to use the Carl D. Perkins federal funds to improve Career and Technical Education, and build opportunities for students to enter high skill, high wage, and high demand employment in Minnesota. Guiding Principles Career & Technical Education and academic education must be integrated in a more

comprehensive way. College and work readiness skills are one and the same. Each student needs at least some education or advanced training past high school, whether community

and technical college, university, industry certification, or advanced training through work. Federal Perkins funding for Career & Technical Education is not an entitlement at either the state or

local level. All education spending must be connected with student success outcomes. High schools and colleges should continue Career & Technical Education programs and activities

that have worked well. Career & Technical Education must be strategically placed within the broader vision, mission and

goals for education within the State of Minnesota. Special Projects and Initiatives Minnesota FastTRAC, job training resources Pathways to Success Parent Guide: Helping Your Minnesota Teen with College and Career

Decisions, parent guide VTECS (A Consortium for Innovative Career and Workforce Development Resources) STEM Equity Pipeline Project, focuses on gender equity in career and technical education related

to science, technology, engineering and math occupations. The New Look Project, assists secondary and postsecondary career and technical educators in

identifying, developing, and strengthening aspects of programming for special populations learners. Great Lakes Girls Collaborative Project, network and resource for recruiting and supporting girls in STEM GESA/SAGE (Student Achievement Grounded in Equity)

Resources on the CTE Project Site Perkins IV law Programs of Study in Minnesota (based on the Minnesota Career Fields, Clusters and Pathways

framework) CTE Coordinators' Portal Consortia Resources Forms Professional development events

www.cte.mnscu.edu/programs/index.html

http://www.cte.mnscu.edu/programs/index.html


Registered Apprenticeship

Registered Apprenticeship is a type of training program in Minnesota's workplaces. The Apprenticeship Unit at the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry works to promote, develop, certify and monitor quality apprenticeship training programs for Minnesota's workplaces. DOLI also works toward promoting apprenticeship opportunities to the general public as well as Minnesota employers.

Students, teachers, counselors, dislocated workers, veterans, underemployed and unemployed individuals can all benefit from understanding how state-registered apprenticeship programs work. The Apprenticeship Unit does not place individuals, nor do they guarantee employment. The information you receive should be used as reference material as you seek employment. Be sure to obtain a promotional booklet that answers frequently asked questions, called Building Minnesota's Workforce through Apprenticeship. The booklet has three sections to answer questions for:

• employers (highlighting employers' wants and needs in a program and how the company benefits); • students (providing basic apprenticeship information and the benefits of participation); and • veterans (includes how to prepare for entry into an Apprenticeship/On-The-Job program for veterans

eligible to receive GI Bill benefits). The booklet is available in hard copy and online (www.dli.mn.gov/APPR/PDF/apprempguide.pdf). Phone: Copies may be requested from the Department of Labor and Industry by phoning 651.284.5090 or 1.800.342.5354. Please refer to the Building Minnesota's Workforce through Apprenticeship booklet. Online: The booklet is also available online at the Department of Labor and Industry's Web site (www.dli.mn.gov/Appr.asp) along with more information about apprenticeship training.

http://www.dli.mn.gov/APPR/PDF/apprempguide.pdf

http://www.dli.mn.gov/Appr.asp


Youth Apprenticeship Youth Apprenticeship is an employer work-based partnership with four components: Integration of academic instruction Formal, career-specific job training Exploration of career roles within the selected career Paid work experience Minnesota-based youth apprenticeship programs, for high school students, 16-18 years old, require approval from the Minnesota Department of Education. Youth apprenticeship programs are multi-year and 2,000 hours or 800 hours in length.

The Basics:

Youth apprenticeship programs are aligned with education and industry standards. Youth apprenticeships are supported by educational institutions and the business community. Educators, employers, parents and community representatives work together to develop youth apprenticeships.

Youth apprenticeship programs support economic development at the local level. Apprenticeship programs help students connect academic learning with lifelong learning. A State of Minnesota Certificate of Completion is awarded to students upon completion of their

apprenticeship. If interested in getting more information about Minnesota's Youth Apprenticeship Programs:

Call the Minnesota Department of Education at: 651.582.8513


Safety Guidelines for Youth Apprentices The Apprenticeship Unit at the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry has Occupational Safety and Health Act guidelines designed especially for youth apprenticeships. And it's free! Youth Apprenticeship Safety Training Program The Youth Apprenticeship Safety Program assists youth in learning how to practice preventive safety measures. It teaches youth to take precautions in the workplace that they might not normally consider. The program consists of eight easy lessons. Each helps individuals to better understand the variety of dangers they might encounter or be exposed to on the job as well as best safety practices.

Lesson plans include: Lesson 1: Safety on walking and working surfaces Lesson 2: Basics of fire protection and emergency exits Lesson 3: Protective guards on machinery Lesson 4: Electrical hazards Lesson 5: Basics of hazard communications terms Lesson 6: Personal protective equipment (clothing, helmets, etc.) Lesson 7: Equipment tagging and locking Lesson 8: Safe material handling

The Youth Apprenticeship Safety Training Program is available in PDF format on the DOLI Apprenticeship Web site: www.dli.mn.gov/APPR/safetytrain.asp. The 178-page publication can also be requested in alternative formats including large print, Braille or on tape. Please call 651.284.5090 or TTY 651.297.4198 to request these services.

www.dli.mn.gov/Appr.asp

http://www.dli.mn.gov/APPR/safetytrain.asp

http://www.dli.mn.gov/Appr.asp


Worksite Field Trips

Worksite Field Trips allow students to take part in business- or employer-led tours of a workplace. The tour provides information on the industry, the types of careers and occupations, along with the knowledge and skill requirements and work processes. Students learn the importance of thinking about career development through the career path stories their tour guides share. The importance of previous work experience, related education and interpersonal skills

needed in the workplace are often stressed. These short-term experiences provide students with opportunities to explore a wide variety of occupations. Student involvement in the planning, coordination and follow-up activities of a worksite visit are more likely to ensure that the experience will have a lasting impact.

Best Practices Checklist

Send a letter of understanding to the business prior to the field trip Have participants view a videotape of the worksite in advance Review examples of the business' marketing materials, products or services

Have students generate a list of questions prior to the visit to ask employers Train volunteers to assist in managing the experience

Teach students what to look for at worksite (i.e.: types of skills required to perform different tasks)

Ask the employer to fit in demonstrations during the tour of some major work projects Ask employers to allow time for employees to explain roles, responsibilities, education, etc. Require students to write reflections and thank-you letters following the visit Evaluate all worksite field trips annually

Recognize business partners publicly for their involvement (thank-you letters, awards, newsletter articles or framed certificates).

Adapted from

Connecting Youth to Work-Based Learning: Blueprint for a Quality Program [Minnesota Department of Education, 2003]


Job Shadowing Job shadowing is an academically motivating activity designed to give students the opportunity of an up-close look at the world of work. It provides the answer to the commonly asked question, “Why do I have to learn this?” For one day or one week, students "shadow" workplace mentors as they go through a normal day on the job. The program invites students to see firsthand how the skills learned in school relate to the workplace. Job Shadowing is a short-term, non-paid experience that is intended to help students explore a range of career objectives. It typically occurs as a career exploration activity in late middle school or early high school.

The Benefits of Job Shadowing: For Students: Provides an answer to the questions, "Why do I have to learn this?" and "Would I want to make this

job a career?" Gives a view into all aspects involved in a job. Students can observe not only job characteristics and

responsibilities, but also what each profession requires on a day-to-day basis Lets students learn firsthand what it takes to make it in their fields of interest from the people who

know best — working professionals

For Educators: Helps motivate students to learn by demonstrating the tangible applications of classroom lessons Helps craft lesson plans around students' career interests

For Employers: Helps prepare the future workforce Shows students career possibilities in different industries Demonstrates a tangible commitment to supporting and improving the community Creates a feeling of personal satisfaction that comes from mentoring a young person Promotes potential long-term mentoring relationships


School-Based Entrepreneurship School-Based Entrepreneurship allows students to establish a business from the ground up, starting with the initial idea to complete ownership of a business. Entrepreneurship encourages the use of technology, creativity and initiative while developing skills to determine the unmet business needs of a community.

Best Practices of School-Based Entrepreneurship Checklist:

Establish a good working relationship between the educational institution and the local Chamber of

Commerce (or similar agency).

Involve students in every aspect, such as assignments to develop formal business plans, market the need for the business to the community and handle the financial aspects of a business.

Ensure the result of the business project is a tangible service with recognizable value to the community. Have the student consider current and future opportunities for employment.

Allow entrepreneurial projects to evolve through a variety of ways such as existing school course activities, interdisciplinary activities that involve two or more instructional disciplines or extra-curricular/ independent study activities directed by a qualified adult.

Utilize community resources including market research information, financial or investment firms, business associations and small business development centers for entrepreneurial activities.

Adapted from

Connecting Youth to Work-Based Learning: Blueprint for a Quality Program [Minnesota Department of Education, 2003]


Service Learning

Service Learning is a form of experiential learning, where students apply content knowledge, critical thinking skills and good judgment to address genuine community needs. Service learning is different than other volunteer opportunities because the project is intertwined with related classroom activities. Service learning helps students understand the needs of their local community while gaining valuable skills that will benefit them as citizens and employees.

Example: Service is: A group of students cleaning up a riverbank Learning is: Students sitting in a natural resources classroom, looking at water samples under a

microscope Service Learning is: Natural resource students taking samples from local water sources, then

analyzing the samples, documenting the results, presenting scientific information to a pollution control agency and reflecting on the impact these results may have on future pollution control issues and our own behaviors and attitudes. It could also include exploration of careers tied to environmental issues.

Service Learning is not: the same as community service, field trips, time away from class, stand-alone projects or a course add-on

Service Learning Resources: St. Cloud State University Service-Learning Committee:

www.stcloudstate.edu/volunteer/servicelearning/advisorycommittee.asp

University of Minnesota's Career and Community Learning Center http://servicelearning.umn.edu

National Service Learning Clearinghouse: www.servicelearning.org

National Youth Leadership Council: www.nylc.org



http://www.stcloudstate.edu/volunteer/servicelearning/advisorycommittee.asp

http://servicelearning.umn.edu/

http://www.servicelearning.org/

http://www.nylc.org/


11 Essential Elements for Service-Learning

1. Education Goals: Establish clear education goals that require the application of concepts, content and skill from the academic disciplines and involves students in the construction of their own knowledge. 2. Challenge: Students are engaged in tasks that challenge and stretch them cognitively and developmentally.

3. Learning Assessment: Assessment is used as a way to enhance student learning as well as to

document and evaluate how well students have met content and skill standards. 4. Service Tasks: Students are engaged in service tasks that have clear goals, meet genuine needs in the

school or community and have significant outcomes for themselves and others. 5. Service Evaluation: Employs systematic evaluation of the service effort and its outcomes. 6. Self-Directed Learning: Creates opportunities to foster self-directed learning in selecting, designing,

implementing and evaluating the service-learning project. 7. Diversity: Values diversity through its participants, practice and

outcomes and honors individual learning styles. 8. Community Partnerships: Promotes communication and interaction

with the community by encouraging partnerships and collaboration. 9. Preparation: Students are prepared for all aspects of their service-learning, including a clear

understanding of task and role, the skills and information required by the task, an awareness of safety precautions and knowledge about and sensitivity to the people with whom they will be working.

10. Reflection: Student reflection takes place before, during and after service; uses multiple methods;

encourages critical thinking; and is a central force in the design and fulfillment of curricular activities. 11. Celebration: Designed to acknowledge, celebrate and further validate students’ service work.




AmeriCorps AmeriCorps is a network of local, state, and national service programs that connects more than 70,000 Americans each year in intensive service to meet our country's critical needs in education, public safety, health, and the environment. AmeriCorps members serve with more than 3,000 nonprofits, public agencies, and faith-based and community organizations. Since 1994, more than 400,000 men and women have provided needed assistance to millions of Americans across the nation through their AmeriCorps service. AmeriCorps*State The purpose of AmeriCorps*State is to engage AmeriCorps members in direct service and capacity-building to address unmet community needs. Local programs design service activities for a team of members serving full or part time for one year or during the summer. Sample activities include tutoring and mentoring youth, assisting crime victims, building homes, and restoring parks. AmeriCorps members also mobilize community volunteers and strengthen the capacity of the organizations where they serve. The organizations that receive grants are responsible for recruiting, selecting, and supervising AmeriCorps members to serve in their programs. Grant recipients are faith-based and community organizations, higher education institutions and public agencies. AmeriCorps members serve in AmeriCorps*State and National projects in every state, U.S. territories and on tribal reservations. Eligibility for AmeriCorps*State AmeriCorps*State and National programs are open to U.S. citizens, nationals, or lawful permanent resident aliens age 17 and older. Members serve full- or part-time over a 9- to 12-month period. Benefits of Service with AmeriCorps AmeriCorps members receive a modest living allowance, student-loan forbearance, health coverage, and child care for those who qualify. After successfully completing their term of service, they receive an AmeriCorps Education Award of up to $4,725. This award can be used to pay off qualified student loans or to finance college, graduate school, or vocational training at eligible institutions. In addition to these benefits, AmeriCorps members learn new skills, acquire qualities of leadership, and gain a sense of satisfaction from taking on responsibilities that directly affect peoples' lives.

To learn more about AmeriCorps, visit:

www.americorps.gov or call 1.800.942.2677 TTY: 1.800.833.3722

http://www.americorps.org/vista/index.html

http://www.americorps.gov/


ICouldBe.org

icouldbe is an award-winning 501c3 nonprofit that steers under-served teens toward careers they never imagined and toward their future — by linking teens electronically to mentors in a wide range of careers.

It is well known that many highly successful people benefited from the wisdom and guidance of a mentor. That guidance helped them make satisfying career choices and become leaders in their fields. Yet, too few young Americans benefit from such guides and thus cannot envision, and do not plan for, their futures. This lack of support is most evident during the high school years, when many young people begin to think seriously about a career. That's where icouldbe comes in. icouldbe.org has devised an award-winning solution to the dilemma by developing a Web-based resource through which skilled professionals mentor, and career planning tools point, America's underserved teens toward the futures they want. For instance, if a high school sophomore is interested in art, he/she can speak directly with graphic designers, high school art teachers, architects, painters, industrial artists, web site designers and other professional artists about their work. Also, that sophomore utilizes various online tools to chart and develop his/her career ambitions. By using icouldbe.org, a high school student can:

• Explore career possibilities, using icouldbe.org's extensive database. • Connect with several of icouldbe.org's career mentors representing numerous professions. • Grasp and move closer to attaining the professional life s/he wants through online discussions with

career mentors and utilizing icouldbe.org's career planning tools. icouldbe.org has served over 4,000 at-risk teens in 14 states and 80 schools with 1,500 nationally recruited e-mentors. icouldbe.org's safe online environment and curriculum meet the National Mentoring Partnership's Twelve Elements of Effective E-Mentoring, the U.S. Department of Labor's SCANS Competencies & Foundation Skills and the American School Counselor Association's Career Development Standards.

For more information, visit: www.icouldbe.org

http://www.icouldbe.org/


Career Mentoring

Career Mentoring works to unite education and business in the best interests of an individual learner. Career mentoring is a formal, long-term supportive relationship between a learner and an individual — typically one more senior in age and experience — with similar career interests.

Mentoring can be beneficial at any stage of a person's professional or personal life, but young people reap especially great rewards from this type of guidance. The mentoring relationship generally begins after the learner has entered the 9th grade and has

established a tentative career goal or college major. Mentors and learners interact one-on-one as they develop a career plan to integrate knowledge, skills and abilities to help the learner achieve career goals.

The mentor usually offers support, guidance, motivation and assistance as the learner enters new areas of career exploration. The learner experiences personal gains in confidence, personal empowerment, self-efficacy, self-knowledge, interpersonal skills relevant to the adult world and an educational or career pathway. Most career mentor relationships are self-directed, with the participants determining their own schedule and objectives.

Best Practices Checklist Have a plan that includes a clear process for selecting prospective participants. Have orientation activities for the participant and mentor, prior to the career mentorship. Have mentoring activities supervised by an educational institution or similar agency. Have an application and interview process for prospective learners so mentors can meet and clarify goals. Require pre-mentorship training. Topics may include: workplace rules of conduct, safety or communication skills. Develop a background check procedure for prospective mentors. Have a matching process that connects similar career interests for the learner and career mentor. Have learners prepare a portfolio describing their career interests, goals and other information. Require a written career mentorship agreement that includes: expectations; length of relationship, number and location of mentorship meetings; description of the evaluation process; and signatures. Monitor the quality of the mentorship. Have the learner maintain a mentorship journal to record and reflect on discussions with their mentor. Recognize mentors for their service through school-sponsored activities.




School-Based Mentoring School-Based Mentoring programs enrich children's lives, help meet their need for positive adult contact and provide one-on-one support and advocacy. Unlike other career mentoring relationships, school-based mentoring occurs mostly at the learner's school and during school hours. Positive mentoring experiences have proven to be an effective tool to help youth overcome the risk factors that can lead to problems, such as educational failure, dropping out of school and involvement in delinquent activities, including gang crime and drug abuse.

Characteristics of School-Based Mentoring:

1. Teachers or school personnel refer students who could benefit from adult support. 2. Mentors commit to meeting with the students for an hour a week throughout the school year. 3. Mentors meet one-on-one with the student, at the school, during the school day. 4. While mentors and students might spend time on school work, they also engage in other activities,

such as playing sports and games, exploring the Internet, doing artwork, writing a story, eating lunch together or just talking, all of which help to build a strong relationship.

Benefits of School-Based Mentoring

• Youth need caring and consistent relationships with adults to help navigate their way through adolescence and beyond. School-Based Mentoring can make a significant difference in young people's lives.

• Research provides clear evidence that well-supervised relationships with adults can yield a range of tangible benefits for youth, including improved grades and family relationships and decreased drug and alcohol use.

• Most notably, students involved in school-based mentoring programs were less likely than their peers to repeat a grade and their average number of unexcused absences dropped.

Adapted from Technical Assistance Packet #1: "The ABC's of School-based Mentoring"

[Linda Jucovy, The National Mentoring Center]


How to Design a School-Based Mentoring Program To design a school-based mentoring program, the school and program organizers should examine questions that will clarify the objectives and goals of the mentoring program.

Partnering with a School: Goals, Roles & Responsibilities

What are the goals of the program? The goals of your program might not directly address students' school performance, but should be aligned with the school's priorities. For example: reducing students' truancy or tardiness or improving student academic achievement. Goals should be written and refined until they clearly describe desired outcomes. Goals should also be achievable and measurable.

What will be the initial size and scope of the program? With any new program, it's a good idea to start small and build gradually. Mentoring programs need to develop a strong infrastructure to support adult-youth relationships. In addition, it takes time to build trust with your partner (school) and develop and implement effective procedures for recruiting, screening, training and matching mentors. It also takes time to monitor and support the matches once mentoring has begun.

Who are the key staff people responsible for the mentoring program?

While someone will have primary responsibility for the day-to-day operations of the mentoring program, it's also important to have one person from the school who serves as a liaison. This helps promote buy-in from other school personnel and ensures that the lines of communication remain open between your organization and the school.

What's the role of the principal and teachers?

It's obvious the support of the principal is essential, although his or her role will most likely be limited to activities such as encouraging teachers to participate, explaining the program to parents or speaking at recognition events. Teachers however, have a key role to play and must be careful to respect their workloads and inflexible daily schedules.

What are the various legal and liability issues?

Be sure that potential liability issues are discussed and that an agreement is reached regarding sharing responsibility. Issues might include: screening mentors, confidentiality, student safety and mentor safety. Also agree on insurance coverage and limits for reporting and tracking any incidents.


Designing a School-Based Mentoring Program, Continued

Are there any financial agreements that need to be made? Schools operate on extremely tight budgets. Generally, a school's contribution to a mentoring program will be in the form of in-kind contributions, such as space for mentor-student meetings or materials and equipment to use. The school might, however, be able to budget small amounts of money for an event such as a mentor recognition ceremony.

What procedures will be used to inform parents about the program and gain their consent to have children mentored?

Work with the school to develop a form that parents sign to give permission for their children to have a mentor. It's recommended that at the beginning of the school year, the school informs parents via flyers or brochures available for parents to pick up when visiting the school. Having this information helps parents buy into the program, but can create a potential problem if parents request specific mentors for their children.

How will you evaluate the program?

Consider how you'll measure the accomplishments of the mentoring program and the effectiveness of the mentoring relationship. How will you and the school identify whether the goals you set have been met? You'll want to look at your program on an ongoing basis, and at the end of the school year see if your objectives were met. Examples of measures: the number of mentors who were matched with students; the length of the matches; student, mentor, parent and teacher satisfaction; outcomes for students (what changed — better attendance, improved classroom behaviors, improved life skills?). Agree on how you will collect the information.

The Role of Teachers In School-based mentoring programs, teachers typically:

• Refer students

• Help with the matching process

• Communicate the progress made, indicating if there are inconsistencies or problems

• Encourage parents to become involved in the program

• Participate in program evaluation, often by completing a questionnaire at the end of the school year


Designing a School-Based Mentoring Program, Continued

Getting Started

Allow yourself a pilot year to solidify the partnership, build a program infrastructure and learn from

successes and mistakes. Write it Down: Develop a memorandum of agreement that clearly

defines the goals of the program and describes the roles and responsibilities of your organization and the school. A written agreement helps ensure that both partners — the school and your organization — have clear expectations.

Be sure to address these questions:

How many mentors will be matched with students during the first year of the program?

Will students be recruited from only one or two grades or from all grades in the school?

When during the school year will the matches begin?

Will you continue to provide new mentors during the school year as teachers identify new students who could benefit?

How often will mentors meet with students? How long will each meeting last?

What is the length of commitment you expect mentors to make to the program?

Will mentors be encouraged to return to the program and meet with their students the following school year?

Additional Information

For more mentoring resources or additional "how-to" mentoring guides, download packets online at:

http://educationnorthwest.org/nmc/resourcecollections

For a school-based mentoring program, review the Hope for Tomorrow model or start a chapter at your school:

http://hopefortomorrowmentoring.org/

Adapted from

Technical Assistance Packet #1: "The ABC's of School-based Mentoring" [Linda Jucovy, The National Mentoring Center]

http://educationnorthwest.org/nmc/resourcecollections

http://hopefortomorrowmentoring.org/


Checking-In with Your Mentor

Below are questions to support and monitor a school-based mentor relationship. It's important to have students and mentors check-in with one another at least once a month and with teachers about every three months. Regularly scheduled check-ins allow one to see how the mentor-student relationship is developing and if there are any problems.

THE MENTOR • What have you and the student been doing during your weekly meetings? • What would you like to change about the visits or activities? • How well do you think you're communicating with each other? • Do you feel that the student is responding to the friendship? • How do you think the student is doing in school, home life, and relationships with parent, sibling

and peers? • What changes do you perceive in the child, both positive and negative? • Are you satisfied with how things are going? • How are things going with the teacher and other school staff? • Is there any training you think would be helpful for you? • Is there anything else we should be aware of?

THE STUDENT • How often do you see your mentor? • What do the two of you do together? • Do you like talking to your mentor? • Is there anything you would like to change about the visits?

THE TEACHER • What do you think of the student's weekly activities with the mentor? • How would you like to see the activities change? • How do you think the student feels about the mentor? • How is the student doing in school? • Have you observed any positive or negative changes in the student? • Is there anything else we should be aware of?

Adapted from Technical Assistance Packet #1: "The ABC's of School-based Mentoring"

[Linda Jucovy, The National Mentoring Center]


Career Portfolio A Career Portfolio is a place to organize and record information related to one's career goals, academic achievements or job search. A portfolio can be used to assist in career and educational decisions, defining goals or completing action steps and, essentially, chronicles the journey and progress of the career development or job preparation process. A Career Portfolio might include:

Assessment results

Work background

Life experiences (including descriptions or samples of volunteer or extracurricular activities)

Education and training transcripts

Resumes

Samples of special work (e.g. research, art projects)

Relevant career, occupational and labor market information

Career plan

References Benefits of Maintaining a Career Portfolio:

Organizes and provides information for resume writing and interviewing.

Promotes ownership of career, occupational and educational decisions.

Provides documentation of self-assessment, career progress and decision-making.

Provides a method of tracking progress towards career goals while identifying obstacles and successes.

For information on registering with eFolio Minnesota: see page 36 of this Facilitator's Guide

Adapted from

Career Choices in North Carolina, 2005-2006 Career Development and User’s Guide, Youth edition [State Occupational Information Coordinating Committee]

What is Work-Based Learning? The Benefits of Work-Based Learning · What is Work-Based Learning?...

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