The escalating demand for a skilled workforce, compounded by the ongoing disruptions in education, underscores a critical shift in career planning. It’s no longer sufficient for students to begin contemplating their career paths in their junior or even freshman years of high school. To ensure students are well-prepared to make informed decisions throughout their education, setting them on course for lifelong economic stability and personal fulfillment, career exploration must commence in middle school. Starting career exploration early is not just beneficial—it’s an absolute necessity.
“I feel like there aren’t enough [opportunities to learn about careers in school]. I feel like we need more time to do it. Because it’s once a year and you get a five-day unit about what you want to do. Okay, that’s nice. Goodbye. We’re moving on.”
– Lexi, 8th grade student in Virginia
American Student Assistance® (ASA), in collaboration with Education Strategy Group (ESG), embarked on a comprehensive national study to evaluate the current landscape of state-level initiatives in middle school career exploration. This in-depth research, incorporating student and expert interviews and measured against 13 criteria across 3 categories, aimed to understand how states are defining, funding, and implementing these crucial programs. Perhaps more importantly, the study sought to capture the experiences of students navigating these career exploration efforts.
The findings reveal that while states are making encouraging initial strides in this relatively nascent area, significant gaps remain. Without a cohesive state-wide vision and unwavering commitment, a focus on providing students with relevant, diverse, and hands-on experiences throughout their K-12 journey, and consistent financial support alongside local capacity building, there’s a considerable risk of career exploration becoming reduced to perfunctory, theoretical exercises. Such an approach would fail to truly guide students toward fulfilling careers that offer a sustainable living wage. Asa Career Exploration Programs are crucial to avoid this pitfall.
For a deeper dive into best practices in state vision, policy, funding models, program implementation, data collection, and accountability frameworks, we encourage you to explore the full report. You can also gain further insights by watching our webinar, which showcases exemplary approaches and successful strategies.
State Profiles: Research Methodology
To thoroughly assess the commitment and effectiveness of career exploration initiatives across the United States, ASA commissioned ESG to conduct a detailed analysis spanning all 50 states and Washington, D.C. This rigorous evaluation focused on how each state prioritizes and facilitates meaningful career exploration experiences specifically for middle school students. The comprehensive findings are detailed in the full report and further elaborated in individual state profiles, offering an in-depth examination of each state’s unique approach to middle school career exploration.
Download Full Methodology Rubric
Download Full Methodology Rubric
