Technology in Career Guidance
Grades 9—12

As students enter high school, the primary focus of career guidance is to assist with career planning and preparation for transition to postsecondary life. A key component is the development of good decision-making skills that are greatly enhanced by technology. Career guidance technology can help students develop career decision-making skills by analyzing data, drawing conclusions about data and manipulating data. This is where the student, the counselor and the parents can work together to take the data, turn it into useful information and move that information into action for the student’s career decision making process. Using career guidance technology, students can collect, compare and formulate their plan of action for future career choices. Carefully constructed projects and activities that are aligned with academic, technology and guidance standards as well as SCANS skills provide students with an opportunity for decision-making and problem solving.

Computer assisted guidance systems (CACGS) and career information delivery systems (CIDS) are the major technology tools that connect the students of South Carolina with the most current career planning resources, occupational information, post-secondary opportunities, scholarships and other financial aid resources. SCOIS.net provides a visual representation of the career decision-making process. Students learn more about themselves through career assessments and then research career options. They can identify a course of study to prepare for specific careers. Students can access scholarship and financial aid databases to help pay for post-secondary education. They can identify and learn more about businesses, industries and other organizations in the global market place that offer employment opportunities. SCOIS.net provides an opportunity for students, parents, counselors and teachers to help students develop their career portfolios. Web sites such as O*NET, the U. S. Department of Labor’s occupational information site, is a "one stop shop" for career information that is constantly updated and available to all students. According to one retail company executive, "such sites as "O*NET will give schools and training organizations the information they need to prepare workers to succeed in (our) industry." http://www.doleta.gov/programs/onet

Access to career guidance technology through the Internet from home, school, work and public facilities provides an avenue for increased parental involvement in these important decision-making processes. Current and complete information can empower students to make more informed decisions as they strive to become successful and productive citizens in the 21st century.

No career information delivery system or career assisted career guidance system is "stand alone." The counselor’s role is to help the student take data, make it informative and help the student take action upon the activity drawn from the computer technology. When the counselor partners with technology, computers and other technologies will help students develop career decision-making skills by analyzing data, drawing conclusions about data and manipulating data. Using career guidance technology, students can collect and compare data from around the world and formulate a plan of action for future career choices.