EEDA Legislation: On May 27, 2005, Governor Mark Sanford signed the Education and Economic Development Act (EEDA), new legislation designed to give South Carolina students the educational tools they need to build prosperous, successful futures. Gaps between students’ preparation and the requirements of the real-world economy leave many students unable to find good jobs and many businesses unable to find workers qualified to help them succeed. The EEDA sets up a system called Personal Pathways to Success to help South Carolina students and businesses meet these challenges. Combining high academic standards with enhanced opportunities to explore career options and build real-life working skills, Personal Pathways to Success gives students the guidance and experience they need to take full advantage of real opportunities in the South Carolina economy.
The Individual Graduation Plan Process: The Individual Graduation Plan (IGP) is a document that states the student’s intentions related to courses that are taken during high school. The courses that are taken are determined in part on where the student’s interests lie. It can be modified over time as interests and skills develop or change. The IGP is like a road map to the future: if the student stays on course, the student will reach the destination – graduation – with all the courses, skills and experience needed to take his education or career to the next level. Each year the student, parents/guardians, and counselors will review and update the plans for the coming year. For more information, click on the link below.
Career Clusters by Schools of Study: Career clusters are groups of jobs and occupations with similar characteristics. There are 16 recognized career clusters within various schools of study.
For more information on the 16 Career Clusters, click on the link below.
The SC Pathways site provides educational and career planning resources to all South Carolinians. To obtain user codes, see your School Guidance Counselor. You will be assigned a username and password to access the site.
SCOIS: This site gives students access to a career assessment and other career information. To obtain user codes, see you Guidance Counselor or Career Development Facilitator. For more information, click on the following link. www.scois.com
The Explore Test For Middle School: The Explore test is an 8th grade version of the ACT test. The ACT test is usually taken by 11th and 12th graders for college admissions and scholarships. On the Explore, there are four academic tests: English, Math, Reading, and Science. There is also a career component in the form of an interest inventory. This test lets students see if they are on track for college, shows them what areas they need to improve in, helps them plan for high school courses, and helps them find careers that match their interests.
Informal Assessments: An informal assessment is a way for students and adults to begin the exploration of their interests, skills, and values. This information can then be used to search for the career path that is most suitable for the person. Students are encouraged to take the informal assessments on the sites below, as they begin their career exploration The following sites provide informal assessment opportunities for students to learn more about their interests, skills and values.
www.careereducation.columbia.edu
Experiential Learning Opportunities (ELO’s): Students at Berea Middle School have the chance to experience guest speakers in the classroom that allow students to connect classroom learning with real world employment. Additionally, field experiences are available and introduce students to careers representing multiple career clusters. Opportunities for job shadowing allow students a hands-on experience in a particular career cluster of interest.
SCETV’s Career Aisle Videos: Click on the link below for additional resources for students to use as they begin exploring the world of work.
Additional Resources:
www.dew.sc.gov SC Department of Employment and Workforce
http://online.onetcenter.org O*NET (Occupational Information Network)
Detailed information about occupations