• WHAT IS A CAREER PASSPORT?
• WHAT DOES MY TEEN PUT IN THE CAREER PASSPORT?
• HOW CAN I HELP MY TEEN USE THE CAREER PASSPORT?
• HOW CAN I LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CAREER PASSPORT?

The Career Passport is a “hands-on” summary of their educational experiences and their career goals, that can be used for many years to come. It represents the career thinking your son or daughter has done since kindergarten in your schools. This Career Passport is designed to help students as they enter the world of work or further education. Employers quickly tell an applicant’s qualifications at a glance in one simple document. Higher education personnel use the Career Passport information to admit students, counsel them about majors, or make scholarship decisions. Both employers and admissions personnel as well as teachers, parents, and students, helped develop the idea of the Career Passport. Great Oaks continues to solicit input from these groups to make sure the content and look of the Passport are kept up-to-date with today’s changing world.

Upon successful completion of a career-technical program at Great Oaks, your teen will receive their passport which contains:

• A Letter of Verification, written by the President/CEO confirming that the student was enrolled at Great Oaks and was a successful completer of a competency-based career development program 
• A Resume 
• A Letter of Application—this template assists students as they communicate with prospective employers in their chosen career fields 
• A Transcript (supplied by student after graduation from affiliated school)
• A Letter from the Dean of Instruction verifying the student’s credentialing by the North Central Association: Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (to learn more about North Central CLICK HERE)  
• North Central Association Transitions Endorsement Certificate—verification that student has been credentialed in one or more of the following:
• Career Awareness 
• Career Readiness 
• Mathematic Computation 
• Reading 
• Scientific Reasoning 
• Writing
• Competency Profile—which outlines the teen’s specific career and academic skills which they have learned in the program
• Certificate of Technical Preparation—verification that the student has satisfactorily completed a specified number of hours in Skills and Related Vocational Instruction. 
• Certificate of Articulation (if applicable)—verification that eligible students may receive credit for advanced standing at specified post-secondary institutions (colleges and apprenticeship programs)
• Great Oaks Warranty—certifies that the student is proficient in the competencies outlined in the Competency Profile; guarantees satisfactory performance in those areas or Great Oaks will provide retraining in the first year of employment free of charge

Your teen can also add: 

• Diskettes or CD’s with class projects or electronic portfolios 
• Individual accomplishments 
• Sports records or special talent records 
• Records of community or volunteer services

For any continuing education or training (including college), encourage your teen to:

• Use the Competency Profile and other sections of the Passport to help answer application questions
• Take the Career Passport to an admission interview and show it to the interviewer
• Share the Career Passport in an interview for a scholarship, or any scholastic organization
• Take the Career Passport to an advisor or counselor when choosing or changing majors
• Update the Career Passport including the resume at least once each year so it can continue to be used

For employment, encourage your teen to:

• Share the Career Passport in the job interview; whether for summer employment, part-time work while going to school, or full-time work
• Refer to the Competency Profile and other sections of the Passport when answering interview questions
• Highlight outstanding attendance records and courses taken on the transcript
• Use the Career Passport for promotions, upgrades, or to transfer to other departments within a company
• Update the Career Passport, including the resume at least once each year so it can continue to be used

To learn more about the Career Passport and career planning activities for you and your teen, CLICK HERE

Source: Ohio's Career Development Program, Office of Career-Technical & Adult Education, Ohio Department of Education