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Career Development Interventions in Middle and High Schools
Chapter Summary
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Today, perhaps more than ever, systematic career development interventions are needed to help young people advance in their career development. The nature of work is changing dramatically, requiring new skills sets (e.g., transition skills, stress management, the ability to engage in lifelong learning, personal flexibility, computer skills) that suggest that change, rather than constancy, will be the norm. Workers in the 21st century will experience multiple career changes that will bring associated levels of stress that must be managed effectively. It is naive to expect parents, many of whom are struggling to manage their own careers effectively, to provide children and adolescents with the competencies they need to advance in their careers. Career development interventions help students prepare for the tasks they will encounter as adults. Moreover, career development interventions help students connect current school activities with their futures. This connection is key to increasing school involvement and school success. Clearly, "when professional school counselors provide career and educational guidance to their students, they influence the future by helping clarify developmental decisions that often last a lifetime" (Erford, 2003, p. 153).
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