Career course channels students’ college interests

Career course channels students’ college interests

Written by Rachel Youens Thursday, 07 December 2006

College is an expensive place for students to figure out what they want to do with their life. Every time a major is changed or a semester is added the debt rises. Fifty percent of high school graduates who enter college do not finish, according to the National Center for Research in Education.

When LISD students graduate, school officials hope they will not only have a good idea of what they want to do, they’ll also have hands-on experience doing it. Each high school has a Transition Coordinator whose job is to help students make that leap from high school to college and to market students to employers.

“Our biggest goal is to have students know what they want to do and what they don’t want to do,” said Sandra MacLachlan, Leander High School Transition Coordinator.

The process begins with choosing a Career Passport, similar to choosing a major in college, and completing three classes within that career field. In order to decide on what classes suit each occupation, the district did a statewide survey asking employers exactly what skills they looked for in an entry-level employee and then tried to match their curriculum to those needs.

The Passport

The Passport, created in 1986, is named so because it gives students job mobility. When they have finished their classes they receive a competency page that lists not only what classes they took, but the skills they entailed. These competency pages go with students on job interviews and into college applications.

“They can give their transcript, but industry people don’t always know what’s going on in schools,” MacLachlan said. “They may see ‘bio-technology’ on the paper, but have no idea what goes on in a bio-technology class. We also want employers and colleges to know the schools use professional equipment and follow industry standards as much as possible. When a student is learning computer- aided drafting design, they could really go into an office and do it.”

On the job

Once students have acquired the job skills, LISD goes one step further and gives them the job. During Career Opportunities On Location week, originated in 1992, nearly 200 students spend a week working at a job of their interest. COOL week is only open to seniors and this year it will take place Feb. 5-9.

“It’s a win-win situation for employers because they get free labor and a talent pool to draw from for future employees and interns. For students it helps them realize ‘this is exactly what I want to do’ or ‘this is not what I thought it would be,’” MacLachlan said.

McLachlan also stresses the importance of COOL lasting an entire week, which includes seven days of both good and bad aspects, morning commutes and a real spectrum of experience. Students often surprise employers with their knowledge and skill.

On-site application

A group of students who visited the high-tech company Advanced Micro Devices last year were given a problem to solve. When they offered their solution it was the same as that of AMD’s professional engineers.

“More and more students are having to work during college and having this passport and experience means that they don’t have to work a manual labor job, or work at a bar until 3 a.m.,” MacLachlan said. “They have the experience to get a job in their own field making good money and building contacts they can use after college.”

Career Passports

After their freshman year, students choose a four-year plan following a specific career path. At the end of some paths students can earn a professional license in their field. The following are examples of Career Passports:

• Cosmetology Classes:
  • Health
  • Chemistry
  • Accounting
  • Cosmetology
• Horticulture and Landscape Technology Classes:
  • Introduction to computer aided drafting
  • Plant and animal production
  • Floral Design
  • Biotechnology
• Public Relations Classes:
  • Public Speaking
  • Business Management
  • Principles of marketing
  • Leadership