Build a Better Career Day

NACAC School Counselor Professional Development DayJefferson County (KY) – Bellarmine University

Alice L. Robertson, School CounselorChantilly High SchoolFairfax County Public Schools

Before We Get Started…What are the goals of Career Day?

Other Career Programming in your school(s)/school system?

ASCA National Model

Foundation: Program Focus, Student Competencies, Professional Competencies

Management: Assessments, Tools, Annual Agreements, Action Plans, Advisory Council

Delivery: Core Curriculum, Individual Student Planning, Responsive Services, Indirect Student Services

Accountability: Data, Data, Data!

What’s a ‘Must Do’ When Making Plans for a Career Day?

Share out 1 or 2 tips/things to consider (or you are considering) as part of planning a Career Day event.

What should you consider for the ‘day of’ your Career Day event?

Share out an idea you’ve tried or had about your Career Day event.

Build a Better Career Day

Making Plans

Planning a Career Day• Select Your Date Carefully• Identify Stakeholders• Select Your Presenters/Guests Carefully• Prepare Your Students• Prepare Your Faculty• Prepare Your Presenters/Guests• Solicit Community Support• Plan for Feedback

Select Your Date, Identify Stakeholders• All About Timing

• Testing• End of Grading Periods• Breaks? Weather? Transition Times?

• Who Is Involved? Who Needs to be Involved?• Administration/Faculty• Parents (PTA, Academic Boosters)• Community Members (HS Students, Colleges/Universities)• Local Media

Selecting Presenters• What’s Your Format?

• Presentations/Interviews• Keynote Speaker• Rotation (Speakers or Classes?)

• Consider Their Time!• Consider Variety

• Career Clusters/Titles• Education Requirements• Presenters – Parents?

Prepare Your Students

• Take Their Pulse• Pre/Post Activities

• Get Them Organized• Workshops, Classroom Lessons

• Differentiate by Grade Level/Age• Generate Excitement• Student Volunteers

Prepare Your Faculty• Need Buy In

• Connections to Presenters?• Using their classroom? Equipment?• Ideas!

• Create Communication Plan• Lessons Related to Current Curriculum

• ‘Thank You’ Notes• Make a Budget

Prepare Your Presenters• Create Communication Plan

• Parking

• Presentation Template/Questions to Consider in Advance• Being ‘Cool’

• Sharing Personal Stories/Anecdotes/Advice• Visuals/Tools of the Job• Working with Kids

Community Support & Feedback• Business/College Partnerships

• Supplies/Prizes• Hospitality Room• Chamber of Commerce

• Feedback• Student Surveys• Presenter Survey/De-Brief Meeting• Faculty, Anyone Else?• Technology!

Build a Better Career Day

Making Plans

Build a Better Career Day

The Day is Here!

THE BIG (Career) Day!• Volunteers• Logistics• Some Thing(s) Will Go Wrong • Some Thing(s) Will Go Well

Volunteers• Who’s On First?

• Check In• Hospitality• Student Ambassadors• Prep Work – ‘At Home’ Volunteering?

• Ready with Back Up

Logistics• Visitor List for Office• Parking• Tables, Electronic Needs• Hall Monitors/

Room Monitors• Volunteer Roles• Food/Restrooms• Transition Time

Expect the Unexpected• Sick Presenters• Missing Volunteers• Shy/Chatty Students• “The Future Hall of Famer”

Build a Better Career Day

The Day is Here!

Build a Better Career Day

Wrapping Up

The Day(s) After…• Review Feedback, Make Notes for Next Year• Compile & Share Data• Consider Next Year’s Date• Thank You!

Build a Better Career Day

Questions?

ReferencesAmerican School Counselor Association. (2012). The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs, Third Edition. Alexandria, VA: Author. Hanover Research. (2012). Effective career awareness and development programs for k-8 students. Retrieved from https://isminc.com/pdf/research-free/school-head/3376Kentucky career cluster poster [Online image]. Retrieved March 5, 2018 from https://secure.kentucky.gov/InventoryServices/ca1c4e33-e8c6-4163-8a11-5c9e7d112d9f/Product/31094559-5b2e-45f8-b80d-b0b0ceff8d10

ReferencesPowell, K. & Sterrantino, S. (2015). Creating career day events your students will never forget [Powerpoint slides]. Retrieved from https://www.txca.org/images/Conference/SCC15/Handouts/12.pdfSchool Counseling by Heart. (2014, May 7). Coordinating career day. Retrieved from http://www.schoolcounselingbyheart.com/2014/05/07/coordinating-career-day/Wingert, B. (2017, February 24). Ask the kuder coach: Any tips on organizing a high school career fair? [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.kuder.com/blog/education-providers/ask-the-kuder-coach-any-tips-on-organizing-a-high-school-career-fair/