Career Development System Initiative
The Sonoma County Career Development System Initiative was developed by SCOE in collaboration with a large group of community partners. The goal is to provide leadership, support, and direction to schools, districts, and communities in the development of a countywide K-16 system that will guide young people in developing relevant and transferable skills and knowledge, making informed career preparation decisions, and preparing to compete effectively in a global economy.
Members of this group have based their efforts on the belief that young people must have early and ongoing access to meaningful career awareness, exploration, and preparation opportunities to ensure local economic prosperity and individual success in college, career, and life.
Current activities in place:
- Thirteen schools are participating in the Middle School Career Exploration Project
- Career pathway courses are available at every comprehensive high school
- Thirty-nine schools are using the online Kuder Career Planning System and an “adopt a school” campaign is under way to expand usage to additional sites
- Work Ready Certification is available to all high school students
Career Development Continuum
The Career Development System envisioned for Sonoma County is based on a continuum that sequences activities and experiences addressing career and college awareness, exploration, and preparation.
In this continuum, students participate in a series of classroom activities, workplace exposures, and community experiences over time. Classroom activities support and reflect what’s learned in the workplace and community, and workplace experiences support classroom learning. Students are supported by and provided role models and guidance from families and adults in their communities. They are provided with experiences commensurate with their knowledge, skills, and abilities. These experiences are compatible with their age and stage of development.
Career Awareness Activities
Career awareness activities are designed to make young people aware of the wide range of careers and/or occupations that will be available to them in the future. These activities help students become aware of the opportunities that are before them, begin to refine their career interests and goals, understand the skills required for specific occupations or industries, and learn about the expectations of the workplace.
Career Exploration Activities
Career exploration activities are an opportunity to explore fields of interest related to career goals and/or academic learning. In the workplace, students work closely with an adult supervisor and participate in appropriate hands-on workplace experiences.
Career Preparation Activities
Career Preparation activities provide an in-depth discovery of a particular career, linking the skills utilized in the workplace with academic learning. These activities also allow for the development of career- and occupation-specific skills.
System Development Team
The System Development Team is a group of 18 members representing various stakeholder groups working to develop the necessary infrastructure to turn the vision of a comprehensive career development system into a reality.
A larger group of community stakeholders, known as the Steering Committee, meets three times per year to provide feedback and input on the work of the System Development Team.