Web Resources for Career Educational Exploration:  Where am I going?

America’s Career Resource Network
This site is provided for students, parents, teachers, and counselors who are interested in career-related information and resources (Perkins Legislation Section 118). In the section designated for counselors and parents, one will find many brochures (Spanish also) and PowerPoint presentations that can be duplicated and used in career centers, parent workshops, or classroom guidance activities.
URL:  http://www.acrnetwork.org

Bureau of Labor Statistics
The Bureau of Labor Statistics is the principal fact-finding agency for the Federal Government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics. This site can assist students with current labor market information for example the “fastest growing jobs." From the “Publications and Research Papers” BLS provides many free publications that can be printed or ordered. The “Kid’s Page” is a good site for upper elementary students.
URL:  http://www.bls.gov/

Construction Education Foundation of Georgia (CEFGA)
This site offers low cost brochures and a video about the construction industry.
URL:  http://www.cefga.org/

Education Pays: Stay in School
The program is designed to help teachers, parents, and students understand the economic value associated with higher levels of education and to demonstrate that a high school diploma is no longer enough to guarantee success in today's highly competitive workforce. The Education Pays Web site includes fact sheets on important topics such as: Educational Requirements of Selected High-Paying Occupations and Higher Education Pays Off with Higher Lifetime Earnings. The Teen pages contain a calculator that allows students to choose an occupation and an expected level of education. The results paint a clear picture of how important education is for today's workers, and students can see how additional years of education can lead to greater financial security.
URL:  http://www.educationpays.org

Georgia Career Information System
The Georgia Career Information System is considered the primary tool used by Georgia students to gather career-related information. GCIS provides students with information regarding over 500 occupations, a life-long career planning portfolio, a national school sort option, financial aid information, and much, much more including a data base of activities for classroom instruction. (You will need id and password from your local system to operate the Internet version of this program.) Tips: Print and attach labels to every computer in the school indicating the GCIS password and id. Marketing this program to parents is important. Provide evening workshops for parents. GCIS representatives can assist you in this process. For example, parents of 6th graders would enjoy the opportunity to visit the career center while at the same time they participate in a GCIS training session and parents of 11th graders would benefit from a workshop on GCIS regarding financial aid and scholarships. GCIS offers students and parents a file for specific Georgia scholarships. GCIS is also used as the primary resources for career management in the TAP (teachers-as-advisors). See teachers-as-advisor program (TAP) block from the career development matrix.
URL:  http://www.gcic.peachnet.edu/

Georgia Labor Market Explorer
This site provides Georgia labor market information regarding industry projections, education, labor supply and more.
URL:  http://quickstats.virtuallmi.com/analyzer/startanalyzer.asp

Groundhog Shadow Day
Groundhog Shadow Day is a site that can assist you and your students in preparing for Groundhog Job Shadow Day. This initiative is designed to engage students in the world of work. This site will help instructors get involved with this work-based learning experience. The “Educators” section provides a downloadable brochure, student materials, and a “How To Guide” to create and implement a Groundhog Shadow Day. GDOE recommends a Groundhog Shadow Day at the upper middle school level as part of the career management.
URL:  http://www.jobshadow.org/

Health Careers
An Internet Resource Guide for High School Students. This guide will assist you in exploring the various health careers and provide links to information so that you can make a more informed decision about your future. This guide is divided into 15 career areas which include 60 specific health occupations. The Statewide AHEC Network’s Health Career’s in Georgia is excellent for printed information about the different career occupations. This information should be organized into a file for health industry occupations (print multiple copies for students to take.)
URL:  http://www.mccg.org/healthcareers/healthcareershome.asp

Mapping Your Future
A one-stop site for students and parents with information on financial strategies, career options, and college planning. From “middle and high school counselors” tab at the top of the homepage, one can access many different types of information including a financial aid power point for middle and high school students and parents (from “Ten Steps to Help You Achieve Your Goals” in step number 6 click on “middle school students and families” or “high school students and families.”
URL:  http://www.mapping-your-future.org/

National Career Development Association (NCDA)
The National Career Development Association and Junior Achievement Inc. have jointly developed new resources to teach students about the world of work and encourage them to engage in the career planning process. GDOE recommends that you use these materials in a teachers-as-advisor program, available to instructors in the classroom or systematically and developmentally in the career guidance program. Located in “Interest Areas” to “k12 Counselors and Educators.”
URL:  http://www.ncda.org/

National Labor-Management Cooperation Committee
This site offers a wonderful CD-ROM, “59 Career Choices—Your Future in the Electrical and High-tech Information Systems Industry.” One must make the contact via e-mail to request a copy for your career center.
URL:  http://www.thequalityconnection.org/careers.htm

O*NET
The O*NET system is a unique, powerful source for continually updated information on skill requirements and occupational characteristics.
URL:  http://www.doleta.gov/programs/onet/

Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day
The Take Our Daughters And Sons To Work program is designed for both girls and boys and focuses on expanding future opportunities for all our children, in both their work and family lives. Since this is the first time that most girls and boys will be asked to talk about how they envision their future home and work lives and because for some participants it will be easier to start these conversations in a group comprised of their own gender, we recommend separating the girls and boys for the first few activities. After girls and boys have a chance to articulate their ideas, it will be easier to come together and share them.
URL:  http://www.daughtersandsonstowork.org/

U.S. Department of Labor, Women’s Bureau
The U.S. Department of Labor, Women's Bureau provides information for young women who are interested in non-traditional occupations. Information includes statistical information regarding women in labor. This Web site offers information that will supplement “Taking the Road Less Traveled” and/or “Destination Success” (located in the guidance and counseling center) to influence young women to explore nontraditional occupations.
URL:  http://www.dol.gov/wb/welcome.html