State of Alaska > Department of Education & Early Development > Division of Teaching & Learning Support > Career & Technical Education 

What is Career Guidance?

It is a comprehensive program that can help students make and implement informed educational and occupational choices. A career guidance program develops a student's self-awareness, knowledge of educational and occupational opportunities, and the steps involved in career planning.

How Can a Career Guidance Program Help?

Career guidance programs help students acquire knowledge in several areas:

Self-Awareness

• What kind of person am I?
• What sort of work would I enjoy or not enjoy?
• What are my interests and hobbies?
• What skills do I enjoy using?
• Where do I want to live?
• How can I make a decision about a career?

Career Exploration

• What types of careers are there to choose from?
• What sort of training do they require?
• What are the working conditions for various types of jobs?
• What salary can I expect?

Educational and Training Information

• How much education is required for a particular career?
• How much, if any, post-secondary training is required?
• Where could I obtain this training?
• Do I need a certificate or license?
• How much will the training cost?
• Can I get any training while still in high school?

Job Search Skills

• How do I write a resume?
• How do I write a cover letter?
• How do I find out about job openings?
• How do I apply for jobs?
• What do I say at the interview?

Employability Skills

• What does an employer expect of a good worker?
• How can I be a team player?
• What communication skills will I need?
• How can I get along with my co-workers and my employer?

Additional Resources

State of Alaska

• Alaska Career Information System (AKCIS) - A complete career exploration software system that is FREE to all Alaskans
• Alaska School Counselor Association - Alaska School Counseling Guide and other resourses

America's Career Resource Network (ACRN) - career information resources for students, parents, teachers, counselors, and administrators

ASVAB Career Exploration Website - Free career exploration and planning materials and services

Bureau of Labor Statistics

• Occupational Outlook Handbook - For information about occupations and categories of occupations, including training requirements, numbers employed, salary information, job prospects, and related occupations.
• Occupational Outlook Quarterly - For detailed information about occupational projections (growth and decline rates of occupations and industries), and for descriptions of new and emerging occupations.
• Occupational Employment Statistics - For annually computed employment and wage estimates for over 700 occupations (not including self-employed), at the national, state, and metropolitan regions (within a state) levels.

Career OneStop - United States Department of Labor site with current resources and information about careers, skills, education, labor market, resume and interview advice, job search section, exploring careers, changing careers.

Career Voyages - Part of the Career OneStop site (see above) specifically geared towards students and career advisors.

The National Career Development Association - Click on Resources to find "Internet Resources for Career Planning"

Inside Career Info - free website with searchable collection of hundreds of career reports written by successful professionals who are actually doing the job.