Report: Career Planning Needs to Start in Middle School

Should career readiness be the first priority of American education, beginning in middle school? And could a focus on that lead to greater equity in the workforce? Those are a couple of the beliefs at the heart of a new whitepaper produced by a coalition of representatives from government, industry, education and nonprofits. "Career Readiness for All," published by the Coalition for Career Development (CCD), hopes to serve as a "starting point" for helping the United States understand that it needs to create a high-quality career development system.

The challenges driving the need for education reform are many. As the report stated, the country has invested too little into "quality career development." Students leave high school without a clear idea about their futures, leaving them to flounder. About a third of graduates decide not to go to college right away "and often struggle to find meaningful work." Many of those who do choose college lack direction and end up dropping out. And among those who pursue college, just six in 10 get a four-year degree in six years, and three in 10 get a two-year degree in three years. Many students graduate with "crippling" student loan debt. On top of those problems, skills gaps persist between what students leave school knowing and what employers want to hire for.

https://thejournal.com/articles/2019/05/06/report-career-planning-needs-to-start-in-middle-school.aspx