What is a "First Choice?"

Here at PV, Each Learner Counts! Our goal is for every learner to graduate with a Diploma Plus. That means that in addition to graduating with a diploma, each learner will have an additional certification, work-based learning opportunity, and/or college credit related to their first choice in career.

Career Plan –In accordance with the Career and Work State Standards, a career plan is a “document or similar item developed by the student that identifies a series of educational studies and experiences to prepare them for post-secondary education or work, or both, in a selected career cluster or area.”

While serving as a plan, this form will also be a place to store what you do along the way to help you tell your First Choice Story allowing for recognition, celebration, and support.

The Point:

The purpose is to provide you with career exposure that will allow you to efficiently plan for your future!

This is all about exploration, exposure, and opportunity. By choosing a First Choice Focus you are not limiting yourself to that field (You may change your first choice at any time). On the contrary, you are gaining life expereince, networking, and building your resume to give you a competitive edge in your future career path.

To plan for graduation, you will choose a graduation pathway option below and make a plan to participate in a Work-Based Learning Opportunity (WBL) and/or to earn an Industry Recognized Credential (IRC).

Work-Based Learning Opportunities (WBL) are activities designed to give you exposure to careers of your choice in actual work place settings from professionals that have experience in your First Choice Career.

Industry Recognized Credentials (ICN) are certifications that you will earn as you complete specialized training in a specific skill related to your First Choice Career.

How can I find the right career path?

Choosing a career path is rarely a single "lightbulb moment." Instead, it is a dynamic relationship where career choices (the destination) and career preparation (the journey) constantly inform each other.

To choose a path effectively, you must understand how these two elements create a feedback loop: your preparation gives you the data to refine your choice, and your choice gives you the focus to target your preparation.

1. The Relationship: A Dynamic Feedback Loop

The relationship between choice and preparation is best explained through the Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT). This framework suggests that your career path is shaped by three interacting forces:

Self-Efficacy (Preparation $\rightarrow$ Choice): As you participate in preparation opportunities—like a coding bootcamp or a marketing internship—you gain evidence of your own ability. This "I can do this" feeling (self-efficacy) is often the primary driver that turns a passing interest into a firm career choice.
Outcome Expectations (Choice $\rightarrow$ Preparation): When you choose a potential path, you begin to imagine the results (salary, work-life balance, impact). These expectations motivate you to seek out specific preparation, such as getting a specialized certification.
Environmental Context: Your choices are often limited or expanded by the preparation opportunities available to you (e.g., local industry hubs, school partnerships, or online access).

2. Preparation as a "Low-Stakes Experiment"

Preparation opportunities are not just about building a resume; they are data-gathering missions. They help you move through the two critical phases of career decision-making:

Phase

Role of Preparation

Key Activities

Anticipation

Gathering information to "narrow down" the field.

Informational interviews, career fairs, job shadowing.

Implementation

"Testing" the choice in the real world before committing.

Internships, volunteer work, entry-level projects.

Without preparation, a career choice is just a guess. Preparation allows you to validate or invalidate your assumptions. For example, an internship in a high-pressure law firm might reveal that while you love the law, you dislike the lifestyle, prompting a pivot toward public policy or corporate compliance.

3. How to Choose Your Path (Step-by-Step)

To align your choice with your preparation, follow this Pathfinding Framework:

Step 1: Self-Assessment (The Compass)

Identify your RIASEC code (Holland’s Theory) to see where your natural interests lie:

Realistic (Hands-on)
Investigative (Analytical)
Artistic (Creative)
Social (Helping)
Enterprising (Leading)
Conventional (Organized)

Step 2: Low-Intensity Exploration (Market Research)

Before committing to a degree or a long-term job, use Informational Interviews.

Strategy: Reach out to three people in your "dream" field. Ask: "What is the most frustrating part of your day-to-day?" This reveals the "shadow side" of a career choice that brochures often hide.

Step 3: High-Intensity Preparation (The Test Drive)

Engage in Work-Based Learning. If you are interested in a field, find a way to perform a "micro-version" of the job:

For Tech: Contribute to an Open Source project on GitHub.
For Business: Take a temporary project-based role or an externship.
For Healthcare: Volunteer at a clinic or shadow a practitioner for 20 hours.

Step 4: The Integration Check

After your preparation activity, ask yourself three questions:

Capability: Did I find the core tasks manageable or interesting to learn?
Culture: Did I enjoy the people and the environment of this field?
Cost-Benefit: Does the required preparation (time/money for education) justify the expected outcome?