When children are in middle school or junior high it is the time for them to begin to think about their own career goals. This may surprise you - especially if your middle grade child can’t even make plans for the weekend!

But career research tells us that the early teen years are when children begin to “try on” career possibilities. In fact, many young teens have a pretty clear idea of the career they’d like to enter first. And the course choices they make in high school can determine their earning power for the rest of their lives. But, the important thing is that they learn how to make career decisions - a skill they will need for life.

Since 1994, schools in Ohio have been helping middle grade and high school students with career choices through a document called an Individual Career Plan (ICP). Your children have already had many career activities. The ICP provides a place for students in grades 8-12 (and earlier in some schools) to start writing down their ideas about career choice, and to have a place to keep all of the career activities they do in school. Think of it as a career “scrapbook”.

As parents or guardians, we want you to ask your school about your child’s ICP. Ask to see it at conferences during the middle grades and during high school. Know that the purpose of the ICP isn’t to force your child into a career choice. Instead, it’s designed to help students collect as much information as they can about themselves so they can eventually make more thoughtful decisions.

Available through the Ohio Career Development website is an informational booklet for parents to use that contains discussion starters and activities that will help you be a part of this process with your young teen.

The first section talks about knowing yourself (personal planning), knowing your choices (career planning) and knowing how to get there (educational planning). The second section walks you through the ICP and gives you ideas to help your young teen with it.

To look at this guide, CLICK HERE.

To visit the Ohio Career Development Program website, CLICK HERE.

Information reprinted with permission from: Ohio's Career Development Program, Office of Career-Technical & Adult Education, Ohio Department of Education