Inherent in providing middle school students with career development experiences is the definition for the student of career development. Super (1974) viewed career development as a life-long process characterized by a number of stages. He noted that each stage was essential and included developmental tasks that individuals must experience if career satisfaction and productivity is to be achieved. The middle school years include two career developmental stages: growth and exploration. Growth is characterized by the development of attitudes, interests, and self-concept. Exploration is defined as the phase in which career choices are narrowed but not finalized.

By the middle school age, most children have passed through the fantasy stage of career development, when career preferences are typically linked to a desire for mastery, and move into the interest stage, in which enjoyable activities provide the basis for career aspirations (Super as cited in Herring, 2000). Young adolescents are moving from concrete to abstract thinking as they progress in their studies. Career goals tend to be more realistic than those of younger children and begin to reflect values as well as interests. Seligman (1980) relates that children in young adolescent years tend to be less rigid and stereotyped in their thinking about careers and behaviors. They are acquiring self-concept and social skills. They are developing lasting attitudes about learning, work, and other adult values. Finally, they are learning to take responsibility for their learning (Schwartz, 2002). The maturity in thinking of the young adolescent contributes to a broadening of occupational options and receptivity to new ideas.

The need for middle school students to have meaningful career development experiences persists. Young adolescents need the opportunity to explore, experience, and investigate skills and abilities required for different occupations, and to assess their own abilities in relation to opportunities of interest (Finch & Mooney, 1997). At this age, job shadowing, work-based experiences, and volunteer activities can assist students to explore career clusters and careers realistically and in more depth. Many school systems are using Groundhog Day as a day for employers to open their doors to young people in order to show them what a real day at work is like. Students leave this experience with an expanded view of the world after high school. Another excellent vehicle for career exploration is volunteering. Young people can volunteer in many capacities. Many tools are available to middle school students that assist in the career exploration process. Videos, films, speakers, the Internet, computer software, and interest assessments can give students a basis for future career decisions (see Model for more activities). According to Schwartz (2002), the most effective career education programs for the middle school combine educational and vocational strategies that:

• Explore with students how they can successfully live and work in a culturally diverse world.
• Help students recognize their interests, aptitudes, abilities, and understand adult roles.
• Help students understand the broad scope of work and career possibilities available currently and in the future.
• Help students broaden their aspirations beyond the stereotypes of gender, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity.
• Integrate vocational and academic education to promote intellectual development, and the acquisition of higher-level thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Assist with students’ development of social skills, personal values, and self-esteem.
• Work with families to support their children’s career aspirations.

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