Students in North Carolina prioritize career exploration

More than 150 K-12 education leaders from across North Carolina gathered in Durham for the Department of Public Instruction’s (DPI) first career planning success summit. The event aimed to enhance student success career initiatives statewide, with representatives from all eight regions and 25 school districts in attendance.

State Superintendent Catherine Truitt emphasized the importance of early career exploration, highlighting the “three E’s” students can pursue after graduation: Enroll, Employ, or Enlist. DPI is promoting various postsecondary pathways, including associate programs, technical certificates, and military service, to cater to diverse student interests and aptitudes.

Speakers stressed the need to expose students to different pathways to meet workforce demands and educational goals. Partnerships between schools, businesses, and communities were highlighted as essential for providing students with diverse career exploration opportunities.

A student panel showcased various postsecondary paths, emphasizing the impact of educators in guiding their decisions. Panelists shared how exposure to different pathways and hands-on experiences helped them make informed career choices.

The summit concluded with attendees creating an “asset map” of partnership possibilities in their regions, proposing collaborations with local businesses, health care facilities, libraries, civic organizations, and more. Collaboration between school districts and businesses was emphasized as crucial for future career planning initiatives.

Overall, the summit underscored the importance of early career exploration, diverse postsecondary pathways, and collaborative partnerships in preparing students for successful careers. The focus on providing students with a range of options beyond traditional four-year colleges aims to equip them with the skills and knowledge needed for a rapidly evolving workforce.