Parent Josh Peterson shares information about his career as a software developer .
opportunities to align their interests and goals with future plans . Through in person meetings and career planning software , students can work their way from identifying career clusters to exploring specific occupations . The software also helps students plan for success by detailing what education or experience the occupations require ( see sidebar for more on Career Planning ).
For his part , Software Developer Josh Peterson was hoping that students attending his session would gain a better understanding of the importance of software in our daily lives , but after learning all that the event had to offer , he saw the added benefits .
“ There were speakers about firefighting and personal wellness , marketing , and engineering . Providing this breadth of knowledge to students is a great way to encourage them to pursue their careers ,” Peterson said .
“ Our students at McMurray are dreamers and they are excited to hear from these guests who often represent careers they didn ’ t even know existed ,” said Recker . She added that while Career Day is the first step in the process , it sets a strong foundation for future exploration ahead .
Parent Eric Dahl talks with the students about his background in engineering .
FINDING A CAREER PATH
Helping our students prepare for their future begins long before their senior year in Peters Township . Career Day activities at McMurray Elementary serve as the kickoff and the progress continues as they move on to Middle School .
“ Our students complete a Career Cluster Inventory every year they are at PTMS ,” said counselor Mary Beth Kenny-Massaro . The inventories ask about activities they like , what qualities describe them , and then matches them to different career clusters based on their response .
Included in their Middle School activities are lessons on goal setting , entrepreneurship , and financial literacy . When students reach 8th grade , they complete a My Future Readiness Plan lesson where they select a career based on their inventory , research it and then present their findings in a speech to classmates .
Part of their time at PTMS also includes Career Chats with guest speakers . Each year , students have the opportunity to hear from local professionals representing one of the 16 career clusters during homeroom . The goal is to expose students to a career from each of the clusters over their time at the Middle School .
As students transition to High School , opportunities to plan for their future are everywhere from various courses and electives to explore , to career and technical education via our partnership with Western Area Career and Technology Center .
“ The biggest change for students in the High School is access to the Naviance college and career readiness platform ,” said Leyna Steffen , Dean of Counseling Services . Via Naviance , students can explore colleges and majors , and research careers to determine what education or skills they will need for success .
As freshmen and sophomores , they continue with career interest inventories and courses also include entrepreneurship activities and financial planning lessons . Upperclassmen focus on goal setting and then matching careers to those goals . During their junior year , students and their parents also sit down with the counselors to look closely at grades , courses and interests and then work together to outline steps to help them meet their post-graduation plans .
Making these decisions can be overwhelming , but Peters Township offers everything from specialized courses in engineering or medicine , to Career and Technology Fairs when students can meet representatives from the trades or military personnel who can talk about those options as well .
“ It ’ s important for the students and their families to know that there are so many resources here for them ,” Steffen added . “ Getting ready for life beyond high school can be daunting , but we are here to help .” eters Township
PETERS TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICT NEWS
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