Website helps students plan for future careers
School counselors can follow students’ plans
MADISON – Wisconsin school counselors have a new web-based tool to help students plan for their future careers. The website WICareerPathways.org is rolling out a new component that allows counselors to view individual students’ educational plans in high school and beyond. “New web-based tools allow counselors to log in to a secure portal so they can follow their students’ activities on the site,” explained Marge Rubin, coordinator of the Wisconsin Career Pathways Website Project.
"I value the process this site leads students on as they learn about their skills and interests related to potential opportunities in high school and beyond," said Lori Krueger, school counselor at Appleton North High School. "With the addition of the counselor tools the site also becomes a resource for counselors to help meet the needs of our students, families and school district." The website also helps students understand the connection between high school classes and career preparation. "It will help answer the question: Why do I need to take this class?" said Ann Bell, School-to-Work coordinator at Menasha High School.
Students can also take a career interest survey and explore various careers and college programs. They can review a secondary-to-postsecondary program of study the high school recommends and personalize it as their Academic Career Plan. The information is organized according to 16 National Career Clusters™ representing 79 Career Pathways.
A secure space called"“MiLocker" allows users to store their research and plans. Counselors can review students’ plans and help them make realistic postsecondary choices. They can also help students and parents by using the site during parent/teacher conferences. A checklist for each grade level keeps students on track for college.
WICareerPathways.org was launched in July of 2010. The website is a cooperative effort of the Wisconsin Technical College System and the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction with support from UW System, WAICU, Department of Workforce Development (DWD), Wisconsin’s Cooperative Educational Service Agencies (CESA) and Wisconsin’s WorkNet.
About the System: The Wisconsin Technical College System offers more than 300 programs awarding two-year associate degrees, one- and two-year technical diplomas and short-term technical diplomas. In addition, the System is the major provider of customized training and technical assistance to Wisconsin’s business and industry community. More than 370,000 individuals access the technical colleges for education and training each year. Learn more at www.witechcolleges.org.
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