As a career development specialist, I use the term "career" to mean a
lifelong, developmental process. I do not use "career" as synonymous with
"job," "work" or "occupation." However, many people do say "career" and
mean "work." It is important to clarify one's definitions when using these
terms. In counseling and career development, we often develop programs to
guide children through career development stages of: awareness in
elementary
school, exploration in middle school/junior high, and preparation and
specialization in high school and beyond.
Oregon's school reform requires students to have "Career-Related Learning
Experiences (CRLE)" to earn a Certificate of Advanced Mastery (CAM). The
CRLE are generally what School-to-Work was at the high school level and
here "career-related" does refer to "work-related" knowledge and skills.
The following is from Oregon's CAM:
"Career-related learning experiences are structured educational experiences
that connect learning to the world beyond the classroom. They are planned
in the student's educational plan in relation to his/her interests and post
high school goals. Experiences provide opportunities in which students
apply academic, career-related, and technical knowledge and skills and may
also help students to clarify career goals.
There are a variety of ways in which students can participate in CRLE.
Communities small and large, rural and urban can support quality CRLE.
Schools must know their students' interests and needs. They should partner
with local employer and community organizations to identify potential
opportunities and resources, building upon the community's strengths.
Schools need also to look beyond the local community. Regional
opportunities help increase the school's capacity and technology offers
expanding possibilities worldwide."
CRLE fall into the following categories:
Work-Based Learning, Service Learning, Field-Based Investigations,
School-Based Learning and Technology-Based. Would anyone provide further
definitions or examples of these categories?
There are many local, state and national resources available to assist
schools to develop or expand career-related learning experience
opportunities for students. Examples are:
Worksite 21 http://www.worksite21.org
School-to-Work Office National Employer Leadership Council
http://www.nelc.org
National School-to-Work Office http://www.stw.ed.gov
Center on Education and Work http://www.cew.wisc.edu
Learning in Deed (Service Learning) http://www.learningindeed.org
Education, Career, and Community Program
http://nwrel.org/edd/index.html
National Transition Alliance http://www.dssc.org/nta
Student Leadership Development Center
http://www.ode.state.or.us/opte/sldc.htm
June Tremain, Ed. D.
Career Development and Human Res. Specialist
Oregon Department of Education
Office of Professional Technical Education
Public Service Building
255 Capitol ST. NE
Salem, OR. 97310-0203
Phone (503) 378-3600 x2238 Fax (503) 378-5156
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