Academic & Career Planning
Academic & Career Planning (ACP)
Academic and Career Planning, or ACP, is a student-driven, adult-supported process in which students create and cultivate their own unique and information-based visions for post secondary success, obtained through self-exploration, career exploration, and the development of career management and planning skills.
The ACP Model Know-Explore-Plan-Go aligns Wisconsin ACP required components with research-based recommendations for incorporating career development throughout K12 for self-exploration, career exploration, and career planning and management.
Self Awareness - KNOW
Periodic self-assessment of interests and strengths • Reflection and goal-setting • Financial knowledge & understanding of resources • Academic courses & skill preparation • Behavioral & employability skill preparation
Career Exploration - EXPLORE
Middle School career exploration activities and opportunities • High School career exploration activities and opportunities • World of work and labor market needs • Understanding and comparing different postsecondary education & training Career Planning
PLAN
Planning skills • The Middle School plan • The High School plan Career Management
GO
Executing the plan • Updating the plan with new information & artifacts • Conferencing & mentoring • Transitioning ACP Components
Methods to Getting Students Ready
Academic Readiness
Relevant academics
Connected sequence of courses
College credit rigor
College & Career Readiness
CTE student organizations
Career-based learning
Work-based learning
Industry-recognized certifications
Social Emotional Readiness
Practice in class & real-world settings
Embedded instruction on SEL knowledge, skills, and habits
6th Grade
Exploration
While at intermediate school, students begin to explore career clusters in a more personalized way through the use of career exploration software and interest inventories. They learn about the importance of looking at their skills, interests and personality when determining if a career cluster might be a good fit for them and worth further exploration.
Lessons Covered
Interests
Reflect on different interests students have discussed
Explore the link between interests and various careers
Investigate how their interests match up with a career they like
School Subjects at Work
Explore how people in a variety of careers apply different school subjects on the job
Investigate how people in various careers use a school subject they like on the job
Explore the school subjects related to careers they like
Decision Making
Explore the importance of making informed decisions, and using the information they have to make the best decision at the time
Learn about the importance of considering the consequences of potential decisions
Reflect on an important decision they've recently made
Time Management
Explain why time management is important in school and on the job
Create a time budget to assess how they currently manage their time
Explore ways to improve their time management skills
7th Grade
Connections
Students will experience a variety of hands-on opportunities to help them begin narrowing the focus of possible career options. Throughout their time at JRG, they will thoughtfully consider who they are, their strengths and interests and begin making connections to career clusters that could be a good fit.
Lessons Covered
Explore Learning Styles
Investigate visual, auditory, and tactile learning styles
Explore how understanding their own learning style can help them in school and in their career
Discover Learning Pathways
Investigate their postsecondary pathway options
Explore the postsecondary pathways to various careers
Evaluate pathways to a career that interests them
Biases and Career Choices
Identify biases of gender, ethnicity, ability, and class in the workplace
Explore how biases can influence career choices
Jobs and Employers
Explore ways to find employment (e.g. job boards, networking, etc.)
Reflect on the advantages and disadvantages to various work search strategies
Research potential employers in their community
8th Grade
Connections
Students will experience a variety of hands-on opportunities to help them begin narrowing the focus of possible career options. Throughout their time at JRG, they will thoughtfully consider who they are, their strengths and interests and begin making connections to career clusters that could be a good fit.
Lessons Covered
Skills
Explore how school, extracurricular, and leisure activities help build skills
Identify skills needed for a variety of occupations
Investigate career options related to their own skills
Explore Career Matches
Investigate central, secondary, and other aspects of the career match assessment, and how they relate to careers
Reflect on their own career assessment results
Explore the aspects of a career that interests them
Transition to High School
Explore ways to make their transition to high school easier and more successful
Identify questions and concerns they might have about transitioning to high school
Develop strategies to deal with transitions
Self-Advocacy
Identify situations where they may need or want to advocate for themselves or others
Explore effective advocacy skills and behaviors, such as leadership, confidence, and communication
Explore ways they can advocate for themselves in school, the community, at home, and in a career
9th Grade
Plan
Throughout freshman and sophomore year, students will explore course options while taking into consideration their skills, interests and personality. They will learn about multiple post-secondary options for the careers they are considering. Students will plan course sequencing that both aligns with their career interests and post-secondary needs while also learning the importance of getting involved in extracurricular opportunities.
Lessons Covered
Personality Styles
Investigate Personality Styles
Explore how their own personality style can help them at home, school, work, and other areas of their life
Exploring Career Factors
Investigate Important Factors: work/life balance, money, making a difference, education, interests, growth
Assess which of these 6 core factors are important to them when making a career decision, and why
Prioritize the 6 core factors that influence their career decisions
Getting Experience
Explore different ways to get work experience now
Identify several ways to get experience while still in school: community service/volunteerism, co-op programs, part-time job, internships, etc.
Assess which type of experience is best suited for their career interests and goals
Study Skills and Habits
Identify skills, habits, and behaviors they need to learn successfully in high school
Explore potential obstacles to success in school, such as lack of motivation, distractions, and lapses in self-confidence
Plan how to develop positive study habits and behaviors
10th Grade
Plan
Throughout freshman and sophomore year, students will explore course options while taking into consideration their skills, interests and personality. They will learn about multiple post-secondary options for the careers they are considering. Students will plan course sequencing that both aligns with their career interests and post-secondary needs while also learning the importance of getting involved in extracurricular opportunities.
Lessons Covered
Work Values
Consider what work values are
Explore their own work values
Investigate careers that may be satisfying based on their values
Careers and Lifestyle Costs
Identify some of their most important lifestyle goals
Assess whether or not they can achieve lifestyle goals in a career that interests them
Workplace Skills and Attitudes
Explore skills and behaviors that employers look for, such as time management, dependability, good attitude, communication skills, problem solving, etc.
Explain why these skills and behaviors are important to various careers and how they manifest on the job
Assess their own employability skills
Program Prospects
Distinguish between different types of postsecondary programs, such as apprenticeships and degree programs
Explore career options related to different types of programs
Evaluate their program options in terms of their strengths, academic interests, and career interests
11th Grade
Study & Refine
Through guided reflection with their ACP advisors, juniors will research what is needed to be successful on the paths they are considering, assess themselves against those requirements and refine their plan as needed to meet their personal goals. This may be done through job shadows, interviews, career speakers and more. With these experiences students will be able to develop an actionable plan for their future.
Lessons Covered
Choosing a College or University
Identify which factors are important to them in a potential postsecondary school
Investigate how a college or university stacks up to their priorities
Career Demand
Learn about career projections and outlooks
Analyze factors that impact career demand, such as changes in technology, demographics, business practices, consumer preferences, and workplace restructuring
Explore how their career plans may be shaped based on the demand for a career that interests them
Entrepreneurial Skills
identify the skills and characteristics that make entrepreneurs successful
Investigate paths to becoming an entrepreneur (including staring your own business, buying a franchise and others)
Explore the benefits and challenges of becoming an entrepreneur
Investigate ways to apply entrepreneurial skills within a career that interests them
Work/Life Balance
Assess how their current work (school) demands affect family life, free time, etc.
Identify the work demands of a career of interest, and explore strategies for maintaining a healthy life-work balance now and in the future
12th Grade
Execute Plan
During their senior year, students will execute their plan. Whether it is preparing for interviews, completing college applications or meeting with a recruiter, our students will be ready.
Lessons Covered
Defining Success
Explore what success means to them in various aspects of life including in their personal life, school, and career
Explore ways they can make a difference and achieve success in a career that interests them
Career Backup Plans
Learn the importance of career backup plans
Investigate strategies for dealing with obstacles that may come up in their career path
Explore potential backup careers for themselves
Job Interviews
Explore ways to prepare for a job interview
Describe their own abilities and qualifications in the context of an interview
Investigate job interview questions in the context of a career that interests them
Explore appropriate post-interview behaviors and actions
Career Path Choices
Understand that career development is a process of constant change
Understand that flexibility and adaptability can help them continually explore their career options
Understand how re-evaluating their interests, skills, etc. can identify the need or desire for a career change
Additional Information
Why ACP Matters
ACP Connection Flyer
2020_04_10_ACPConnections_Flyer.pdfACP FAQ
2020_03_09_ACP_FAQs.pdf