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Job Exploration or Career Counseling for Youth

Job exploration or career counseling can include a wide variety of activities to help youth explore their future work potential. This is the time for the youth to discover their unique talents, skills, and interests. Career counselors or employment specialists can help youth identify this information and use it to begin planning their path to achieve their future goals.

Career counseling can offered in various settings, including in groups and individually, in person or virtually.

Motivation, Opportunities, and Informed Decision-Making

Discussion or counseling about exploring job options are intended to foster motivation, identify opportunities, and lead to informed decision-making.

It's important for youth to incorporate real-world activities to ensure that students recognize the relevance of a high school and post-school education to their futures, both in college and/or the workplace.

Types of Job Exploration Counseling Activities

Job exploration counseling activities can be done in partnership with private, for-profit, public or nonprofit businesses in your community and/or through web-based resources.

Job Exploration Counseling may include:

  • completing vocational interest inventories and reviewing results
  • doing labor market research to identify in-demand industries and occupations
  • exploring non-traditional employment options
  • identifying career pathways of interest to the students

Job Exploration Counseling Activities*

Pre-Employment Transition Services

Students may be participating in a number of pre-employment transition services or transition services through VR or Education. Discussion or counseling on the results of some of these activities can help to identify viable career options or solidify careers that a student will want to explore further.  Find out more by visiting Expectations Around Youth Access to Transition Services from the Department of Education.

Identify Student Progress

Identifying students’ progress can help you:

  • Determine if the student needs or continues to need job exploration counseling.
  • Identify specific activities that could be most beneficial to focus on or prioritize as you individualize services.
  • Share information as you collaborate with other service providers.
  • Document how services are individualized based on the student’s needs.

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Tools


Following are some tools and resources to assist you with your career planning activities.

Featured Resources

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Before Age 18

For youth with disabilities and their families, get ready to consider choices, explore the possibilities, and take action now to prepare for age 18! Before Age 18 Website

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Explore-Work.com Training

Online training to help youth explore their future -- follows the five Pre-ETS training topics. Explore-Work Website

Career Planning Activities

Self-Assessment Tools:
Learn more about individual strengths and interests by completing career assessments and inventories:

Resource: Berkley’s Self-Assessment: Resource & Tools

Action Steps for Teens:
Here are some action steps teens can take to prepare for age 18 and becoming an adult.

Labor Market Information Tools:
Learn more about in demand industries, hiring trends, and occupational skills and training requirements:

Training

Related Resources