Choosing a career path at any age is a difficult task. But selecting a career path as a high school student—without a full understanding of the career pathways available—can be an even more daunting task.

Fairfax County high schools are implementing training to provide teachers with resources to help students make more informed career decisions. By developing a greater awareness of potential career paths, students have the opportunity to pursue an educational and career pathway that will aid their success.

With the support of the Bank of America Foundation, NOVA Workforce recently participated in career awareness training at Mount Vernon High School. The primary goal of the training was to provide educators with resources to help students expand their awareness of potential careers by connecting class curriculum with the world of work. Students benefit from a broader awareness of potential career paths, beyond the well-known careers (e.g. lawyer, doctor, teacher) to more specific career pathways that are not as well-known (e.g. marketing, data analytics, social media management, etc.).

Alex Cooley, Labor Market Analyst for NOVA Workforce, led a portion of the training. He met with teachers and staff at Mount Vernon High School to provide data-driven resources for career awareness. Alex shared information about labor market data that can assist students in making informed career decisions. The training also included information on the importance of career awareness, work-based learning opportunities for high school students in Fairfax County, and a group discussion on innovative ways teachers can engage students in exploring career interests.

In an effort to promote career readiness and awareness for students, Mount Vernon High School will also be opening a new career center in 2018. The new career center was made possible by a generous contribution from the Bank of America Foundation.