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Career Pathways
Western
School District uses Career Pathways to guide students through
course selection and planning for high school and beyond.
Education Development Plan (EDP)
An Educational Development Plan details a student's
coursework to satisfy high school graduation requirements and
provide a foundation for a future career. The purpose of the EDP is
to provide students with a periodically updated and ongoing record
of career planning that will guide them in taking effective steps to
enter their career of choice. Students develop their initial EDP in
the eighth grade. Students select a career pathway and plan their
four-year class schedule for high school. EDPs reflect the students'
individual career decision-making process based on career
exploration, self-assessment, school performance and expressed
interests. Career development is not a simple decision. It is a
lifelong process.
Importance of Career Pathways
By exploring career pathways students see how
subjects studied in school, such as math, science, language arts and
social studies, are important in many careers. When students make a
connection between what they are learning in school and the demands
of the workplace, they better understand the relevance of their
course work.
Choosing an Appropriate Pathway
The first step in deciding on a career pathway is to
understand the student's interests and abilities. Guidance
counselors and teachers assist students in using assessment tools in
order to identify the above-mentioned criteria. Next, students, with
the help of their parents and counselors, select high school
courses. Students then develop a four-year plan based on their
selected pathway.
Career Pathways Are Not Carved In
Stone
Selecting a career pathway
does not have to be a permanent choice. It is a starting point.
Students may easily switch pathways. Change is part of all careers.
Many adults may change their careers seven or eight times during
their working life. Many of our future careers are not yet in
existence. However, students who choose a pathway will have an
increased understanding of their course relevance and the
applicability of it to a broad range of future jobs. |