WHAT IS CAREER DEVELOPMENT?

Career development is a process that involves students, parents, teachers, counselors, and the community. The goal of a Career Development Coordinator is to help students make good decisions about themselves and their future.

As the Career Development Coordinator, I am here to assist students, parents, teachers, and employers. I hope to accomplish this by introducing the students to interest inventories, job research, college research, and then opportunities from the community to present information to the students. I hope that by the time these students leave middle school, the information we have discussed will not only help direct them with High School decisions, but also with their Post-Secondary decisions. Ultimately, the goal is to just make them aware of what’s out there, as the possibilities are endless!

WHY DOES CAREER EXPLORATION MATTER FOR STUDENTS TODAY?

  • Introduces students to the working world they will one day enter

  • Improves academic performance

  • Improves the attitudes of students about career potential

  • Increases students’ knowledge of career options

  • Helps students see how they fit in the working world

  • Encourages students to plan high school courses based on future goals




Hello, my name is Ms. Johnson and I am the Career Development Coordinator (CDC) and one of the CTE Teachers here at Neuse River Middle School. I graduated from Norfolk State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management and graduated from Regent University with a Master’s Degree in Education. I spent over 15 years in banking, finance, and management before realizing that I wanted a change. I decided to switch careers and moved into education in 2015. I taught High School Business Education and Career Development at an Alternative High School with VBCPS before moving to North Carolina. I am also the Founder/CEO of a local nonprofit organization here in Raleigh. I am happy to be a part of the Neuse River Middle School family, serving as your Career Development Coordinator!

Resources (click underlined title to take you directly to the site)

  • CFNC- College Foundation of North Carolina (CFNC) is a free service of the State of North Carolina that promotes access to North Carolina higher education and assists students with education planning, career planning, and applying and paying for college.

  • O*Net Online- A tool for career exploration and job analysis! O*NET OnLine has detailed descriptions of the world of work for use by job seekers, workforce development and HR professionals, students, researchers, and more!

  • NC Star Jobs- The STAR JOBS tool from the NC Department of Commerce can help you better understand your career options and job opportunities

  • Reality Check- A fun, new online tool designed to estimate the income necessary to support your desired lifestyle.

  • Bureau of Labor and Statistics: Career Exploration- Use this tool to find careers that relate to your interests.

  • Career Conversations- connects employers and students digitally through a new and growing online library of video interviews with professionals from a variety of jobs and industries.