Students begin 8th grade as children and leave 8th grade as young adults. Eighth grade tends to be an odd and often awkward school year for most young people. Social pressure sets in as kids really try to figure out who they are and who they want to be. Many 8th grade students make decisions about the extracurricular activities they will carry on in high school while others continue to dabble in a variety of options trying to make up their minds. It is a transition year full of self-exploration and choice. By the end of the school year, 8th grade students are asked to select their high school courses in accordance to their career interests while many have not thought that far ahead. (Post by Scott Albert, Vice President – UcanB Career Education)
Eight graders who participate in Pittsburgh’s #UcanB Career Education Program receive guidance, resources and mentors to augment their Career Education. At Shaler Area Middle School, just north of Pittsburgh, 8th grade students meet every Monday with a #UcanB instructor. The #UcanB instructor guides Shaler’s 8th graders through a series of career assessments and discussions related to work, college, military or apprenticeship. All students leave the #UcanB program with a digital career portfolio, which they can continue to use throughout high school.
At Hopewell Junior High, another Pittsburgh-area school, 8th graders also develop a digital career portfolio with #UcanB, but their program is supplemented with a series of guest speakers as well. Professionals from the US District Court, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Penn State University and Natural Capitalism Solutions have visited Hopewell’s 8th grade classes to discuss various career paths, green technologies, STEM degrees and the importance of safe social media.
Pittsburgh Public Schools also participates in the #UcanB Career Education Program. For example, 8th grade students at Pittsburgh Classical Academy (PCA) participate in a version of #UcanB that is very similar to Shaler’s #UcanB class. PCA’s 8th graders spend every other Friday in a computer lab with their #UcanB instructor. The students complete a battery of O*Net career assessments and use the results of these assessments in the development of their digital career portfolios.
These are three examples of over thirty Pennsylvania school districts that have adopted a version of #UcanB. As Pennsylvania’s requirements for Career Education and Work Standards (CEW) have recently changed, school districts find great value in their partnerships with #UcanB. The 8th grade classes are of particular importance. The #UcanB Program assists 8th graders with their transitions from middle to high school; #UcanB also assures that school districts meet the newly adopted CEW goals and outcomes. Every 8th grade #UcanB student completes the #UcanB Program with a Digital Career Portfolio, a Basic Resume, a Complete O*Net Career Assessment & Profile and Documented Participation Career-related Classroom Presentations, which are conducted by outside professionals.
Some 14 year olds leave the 8th grade with very definite decisions and a game-plan for high school. Others are continuing to explore options. The #UcanB Program meets these young people where they are. The resources provided via #UcanB help some of these young adults to advance their plan while the same resources help other 8th grade students to continue exploration. While #UcanB serves many students in grades 6-12, the #UcanB organization is particularly proud of its work with 8th grade students. It is for this reason that #UcanB provides year-round career education to students in this age group.
For more information about the #UcanB Career Education Program, contact Scott Albert at scott@buildingbridgesforbusiness.org.
