Taking the next step

Planning for your future

What is the next step?

• Career

• Military

• Community College or College

Preparing for a career• Interest Inventories and Career Exploration Tools

• Class selections and certifications

• Job Shadowing

• Career Fair

Interest Inventories and Career

Exploration Tools• ASVAB Career Exploration Program

o IT’S FREE!!o Aptitude Test

• Measures General Science, Arithmetic Reasoning, Word Knowledge, Paragraph Comprehension, Mathematics Knowledge, Electronics Information, Auto and Shop Information, and Mechanical Comprehension

o Self Assessmento Career Exploration Tools

Interest Inventories and Career

Exploration Tools• EXPLORE – 8th grade• PLAN – 10th grade• ACT – 11th grade

o World of Work Map• Students complete an

interest inventory • Each score report

provides suggestions of career interests

Course Selections

• Select courses that will meet the needs of your post high school goals

• Ask which courses have certifications and/or potential for college credit

• Develop an interest area or concentrator in a certain area

Harnett County Schools

Career & Technical Education

• Serve 10,055 students in grades 6-12 (duplicated count)

2011-2012 School Year:• CTE Concentrator Graduation Rate 89.4%• 83.8% of CTE Concentrators graduated and are

currently enrolled in post-secondary education, advance training, military, or employed.

CTE Career Clusters• Document 1

Credentials/Certificates

In the 2011-2012 school year 1,625 credentials were awarded across the district.

• ASE Brakes• ASE Electrical• CPR Certificate• Microsoft Access• Microsoft Excel• Microsoft Power

Point• Microsoft Word

• NCCER Core• Nurse Aide• OSHA Safety• Serv Safe

WorkKeys assessments measure “real world” workplace skills critical to job success. These skills are valuable for any occupation—skilled or professional—at any level of education, and in any industry.

More than 10 million WorkKeys assessments have been administered.

WorkKeys Assessments Assess the Workforce

The National Career Readiness Certificate, issued by ACT, is a portable, evidence-based credential that certifies essential workplace skills and is a reliable predictor of workplace success.

CertificationCertify abilities

• Evidence-based

• Industry-recognized

• Portable

• Used to document essential skills linked to workplace success

• Awarded at four levels: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum

The NCRC™ is a credential that is:

CertificationCertify abilities

Articulated Credits• North Carolina High School to Community

College Articulation Agreement. (link to AA Document)

• To receive articulated credit, students must enroll at the community college within two years of their school graduation date and meet the following criteria: o Final grade of B or higher in the course, ando A score of 93, or higher, on the standardized

CTE post-assessment.

Harnett County Schools Fire Academy

Job Shadowing• Spend a day with a professional in the

community

• Open to all students in Harnett County Schools

• Contact your Career Development Coordinator for information

Career Fair• Fall of Sophomore year

• Sponsored by the Harnett County Business Partnership and Harnett County Schools

• Participants include local businesses

Military Options

Reasons Attracted to Military• Travel• Need for Employment• A sense of civic duty and service for our country• Family Tradition• Occupational Training• Educational Opportunity

Gateways to Military Service

• Enlistment

• Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC)

• Service Academies

• Senior Military Colleges

Branches of Military Service

• U.S. Army (Army Reserve, Army National Guard)

• U.S. Air Force (Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard)

• U.S. Navy (Navy Reserve)

• U.S. Marines Corps (Marine Corps Reserve)

• U.S. Coast Guard (Coast Guard Reserve)

General Enlistment Qualifications• 18 years of age. Parental consent at 17.• U.S. Citizen or immigrant alien legally admitted to

U.S. with documentation.• High School Graduation or GED (limiting)• Physical exams/drug screening/background check• Need for recruits in a specific job• Aptitude Test (ASVAB)

Enlistment• Direct Ship• Delayed Entry Program • Basic Training• Occupational Specialty Training

Reserve Officer Training Corps

(ROTC)• Opportunity to attend college while studying

military leadership• Offered at hundreds of college campuses• Highly competitive (grades, ACT/SAT, personal

interview)

• Four yr program leads to bachelor degree and entry level commission as an officer.

ROTC Scholarships• Pay tuition, required fees, textbooks and a

monthly stipend for each month enrolled.• Merit based not need based• Come with a military service commitment:

o Army (4yrs active, 4 years reserve)o Navy (4 to 5 years)o Air Force (4 to 6 years)Deadlines differ with branches (between Dec. 1st to January 31st of senior

yr.)

Military Service Academies

• US Military Academy at West PointWest Point, NY

• US Naval AcademyAnnapolis, Maryland

• US Air Force Academy Colorado Springs, Colorado

• US Coast Guard AcademyNew London, Connecticut

• US Merchant Marine AcademyKingsport, New York

Admissions Criteria for Service Academies:

• Extensive process, extremely competitive• Standardized test scores (SAT or ACT) • Athletics and extracurricular activities • Leadership experience and community involvement

• High school academic performance • A congressional letter of recommendation (not required by the Coast Guard Academy)

• Begin application process Spring of Junior year

After Graduation from Service Academy:

• Five year active military commitment plus three yr reserves

• Commissioned as an officer

• College Degree

Senior Military Colleges

• Offer combination of higher education with military instruction

• Must participate in ROTC programs

• Only those receiving ROTC Scholarships must enter military service

Senior Military Colleges

• Texas A&M Corps of Cadets

• Norwich University• The Virginia Military

Institute• The Citadel

• North Georgia College and State University• Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets• Mary Baldwin Women’s Institute for Leadership

A recent article in the News & Observer stated that individuals with a college degree will earn double

over his/her lifetime than that of an individual with a high school diploma.

Community College Vs. 4 year Colleges

• Community Collegeo No GPA Requiremento Must meet College Readiness

Benchmarko Foreign Language

Requirement does not have to be met

o Transfer programs with acceptances to 4 year after completion of 2 years

o Cost - $1,082.50 for 15 hours (normal load)

• 4 Year Collegeo GPA Requiremento SAT/ACT Scoreo Foreign language requirement

(for most)o Admission has become

competitiveo Cost - $ 3, 893 (tuition only,

does not include housing)o Offers a unique experience for

independence

Understanding the Transcript

• GPA• Quality Points• AP/Honors Classes

Student A

• Freshman year – GPA was 2.25• Sophomore year only – GPA was 3.578 • Cumulative GPA after 9th & 10th Grade –

2.914• Did not begin taking honors classes until

11th grade• Is unsure about attending

post-secondary education

Student B

• Has taken rigorous classes since 9th grade

• Has continued to challenge herself academically

• Wants to pursue post-secondary education

The

Complete

Package

• Rigorous classes• Community Service• School Involvement• ACT/SAT Scores

Explore, PLAN, & ACT

• North Carolina now requires 8th, 10th, & 11th Grade Students to participate in College & Career Ready Assessments

• Many schools offer ACT prep classes during school, before school, or after school

• Pay attention to your child’s score – the score report gives strategies to improve scores

• Make sure your child is prepared on test day!

What Should I Be Doing Now?

• Set high expectations for your son/daughter.• Make a 4 year plan of action.• Discuss plan with your child.• Research schools to determine admission

requirements to desired school(s).

What Should I Be Doing Now?

• Communicate with your child’s teachers frequently. Email is a great communication tool.

• Discuss with your child school happenings.

• Review transcript/report cards, school website, etc.

• Follow your child’s current academic progress through PAM.

.When Does the College

Application Process Begin?

• Fall of your child’s senior year. Pay attention to College deadlines.

• During November, CFNC offers College Application Week. During this week, many schools waive the application fee. This is a great time to apply if it is within the deadline.

Resources:• www.cfnc.org• www.act/student.org• www.harnett.k12.nc.us• Your child’s counselor• Your child’s teachers• www.asvabprogram.com