Career awareness is the inventory of knowledge, values, preferences, and self-concepts that an individual draws on in the course of making career-related choices (Wise, Charner, & Randour, 1978). At the elementary level, kindergarten through fifth grade, the major activities focus on self-awareness, attitude development, decision-making, and a broad knowledge of many careers. Bright- eyed and curious, young people in this age group are eager to share their thoughts about "What they want to be when they grow up." Improving self-esteem is a necessary goal for career development interventions, especially in the elementary grades. Herring (1998) states, "elementary counselors should be assisting students to increase their awareness of self, their sense of autonomy (Super, 1983), their level of aspirations, and their belief in becoming what they wish to become" (Leonard, Jeffries, & Spedding, 1974).
Career awareness is developmentally appropriate for elementary school students. Educational theorists like Erikson, Piaget, and Vygotsky recognized the need for the early and active involvement of role models and experiences in the acquisition of knowledge, skill and understanding (Magnuson & Starr, 2000). The life career development theories of Super (1980) and Gottfredson (1981) and the concept of "success criteria" presented by Zunker (1998), provide the framework for understanding how children develop their understanding of the world of work. Through career awareness and the Career Decision-making Process, children become knowledgeable about themselves, other people, and the world of work. Career awareness activities allow children to assimilate information about themselves and the world of work into their thinking. Career awareness at this level is designed to create the connection that work-tasks are applications of academic skills (Herring, 2000). Studies have shown that when students receive career information at an early age, school involvement and school performance improve (Gillie & Isenhour, 2005). Students increase their social and interpersonal skills. Students' confidence, competence, and motivation increase, which leads to academic success. Implementing career awareness programs help children explore who they are as people, how they interact with others, and how school relates to the world-of-work.
The importance of the elementary school years as a foundation for children's later career decisions emphasizes the necessity of planned attention to the elementary student's career development (Herring, 2000). Career awareness is a work in progress. The cornerstone of career guidance programs at the elementary school level should include simulated, abstract and concrete activities that emphasize improving self-awareness, promoting one's self skills and providing general information about the world of work.
Educators can find many innovative ways to incorporate career awareness into classroom lessons and school-wide activities. Career awareness is easily integrated into state curriculum standards, character education, drug prevention and awareness, social sciences, multiculturalism, nontraditional careers, and service-learning projects. The South Carolina Guidance Model describes one appropriate role for school counselors to serve is consultant and facilitator to the classroom teacher to help infuse occupational activities into the curriculum (Drummond & Ryan, 1995).
The Effective Exercises section of this Model includes career awareness activities submitted by educators throughout the state of South Carolina, and provides assistance in integrating career awareness into Kindergarten through grade twelve. A CD-ROM of Effective Activities is available from Guidance Services at the South Carolina Department of Education.
This Model was developed to make the task of assisting students in choosing the right path from among a world of options a less challenging one. Career awareness in the elementary grades is sequential and developmental in nature. Each grade enhances the prior learning and introduces new activities to expand career awareness. By the time students are ready for middle school, many of them will have some specific and accurate information upon which to base choices regarding future education and career plans.
School districts that have excelled in K-12 career guidance have carefully structured their elementary career guidance delivery to give their students a developmental advantage. Parental Involvement and Technology play a vital role in the continuing development of career awareness. As a result, students and their parents find their middle schools' enhanced career development programs (Career Assessment, Individual Graduation Plans, career cluster exploration, and shadowing/mentoring) an adventure in exploration, planning, and choice.
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