ACTE's National Work-Based Learning Conference

This session will be a powerful testimony concerning how a small group of individuals can work together with business, industry, school and community members to create a program that is being replicated to provide  equal career education access to all students in their state.

In 2018, eleven career coaches were put into place in schools in Pontotoc, Lee and Union counties in Mississippi to combat the inequity and accessibility of knowledge and training in high-demand job sectors . Those eleven individuals, under leadership of the CREATE Foundation’s Toyota Wellspring Education Fund Committee, began to develop activities and assist all students, in those districts, in career planning. These individuals were given the freedom to visit business and industry and post-secondary training facilities to learn what was available for the students they were serving. They were not school employees, yet worked in the schools. They were a different and new breed of educators. Their career coach cohort goal was to expose, prepare, and connect students to avenues within and beyond the classroom setting. Through strong partnerships with economic and business leaders, paired with a viable relationship with each school district, the career coaches have embarked on a mission to change the educational landscape of their region of the state.

This career coach cohort targeted the alignment of students’ strengths with intentional academic and work-based learning and ensured the children of their school districts could make their dreams a reality. Other regions, other school districts, economic developers and legislators were taking notice. Legislation was created to adopt this career coach model for the entire state of Mississippi, so all students will receive equal access to career information.

Presenters will share the background story and need for the career coach movement in their state. They will also share best practices and digital resources they use with students. Conference attendees will be able to gain social media access to follow along on the career coach journey and they will be able to listen to video testimonials from students, career coaches and business and industry professionals.