The saying goes "Career education is every educator's responsibility." There are some new tools available to help us with the continued expectation that all Iowa school districts integrate career education K-12 as part of the current Comprehensive School Improvement Planning (CSIP) process.
"Model Career Education Standards and Benchmarks Including Employability Skills 2002" is a document designed to help our youth prepare for the choices they will make regarding their future. These standards and benchmarks provide a guide to developing basic Employability Skills and Career Development skills through all aspects of career pathways. This 2002 revised edition was derived from a modified DACUM (Developing a Curriculum) process involving the Iowa Association of Business and Industry and employers representing all career pathways so as to reflect current skills needed in the workplace as of December, 2001. The resulting product can be seen at http://www.state.ia.us/educate/ecese/stw/documents.html (click on "Documents")
Visit the Career Edge Academies, New Website
Over the past 3 years, eight academies have been created in which approximately 800 students are engaged in career-related study, in work-based learning and in earning college credits while connecting their high school learning with that of postsecondary education. Whether this notion is new to you, or even if you,ve have been involved since the beginning, the Career Edge Academies Website will have something for you. Check it out at www.careeredge.info.Work-Based Learning Guide 2002 Available
The Iowa School-to-Work Office has released online the "Work-Based Learning Guide 2002 at http://www.state.ia.us/educate/ecese/stw/documents.html. This new edition replaces the "Iowa Risk Management Guide for Work-Site Learning Environments released in 2000, and offers general guidance for students, teacher-coordinators, school administrators, employers, businesses and others involved in providing work-based learning experiences to students. It was updated in cooperation with the Iowa Association of Business and Industry (ABI) Foundation, Iowa Dept. of Economic Development, Iowa Workforce Development, and the AFL-CIO.Integrating Employability Skills into the CSIP
Employers, Chambers and others continue to urge the teaching of employability skills as called for in comprehensive school improvement plans (CSIPs). The Iowa Association of Business and Industry has standards and benchmarks for integrating into the curriculum. Please contact Pat Highland at Grant Wood AEA (319) 399-6773 or 1-800-798-9771, Ext. 6516, or Gary Nesteby at the Iowa Quality Center (319) 398-7102.Interactive Safety Training Resource available
Safety It's Everyone's Business
The Multistate Academic and Vocational Curriculum Consortium (MAVCC), of which Iowa is an active member, has created a new compendium of safety information of interest to secondary and postsecondary instructors, administrators and business/industry representatives. It is a set of 12 CR-ROMs, created in conjunction with OSHA, the Dept of Labor and others, intended to supplement existing safety training in the classroom. The ultimate goal is to prepare students to practice proper workplace safety and be able to recognize potential hazards.Plans are being made to train teams of community college and AEA trainers such that these resources are available to Area 10 educators as soon as possible this school year. Further information will be carried on the Area 10 School-to-Work website at www.aea10.k12.ia.us/stw. District staff wishing to inquire about training can contact Dave Bunting, Kirkwood Community College (319) 399-0142.