Get Your Students’ Careers on Track with WorkPath!

The statistics are daunting. Almost 50% of college students never graduate. Over 50% of adults are unhappy in their jobs. There are over 150 majors and hundreds of careers for your students to choose from. You know all to well what that blank stare means…they have no idea what they want to do! As a counselor, you have significant influence over the direction your students will go and WorkPath can help point the way!

In this global economy, education is not just the key to success, but also to job security. No one knows better than student counselors the challenges the youth of America face as they prepare to enter the workforce. Whether planning for a future career, or determining a vocation that can pay bills tomorrow, the decisions that need to be made can be overwhelming for a young adult and their families.

As a counselor, you wear many hats, working with students, parents, teachers, community business leaders and more. With too many students and not enough hours in the day, you are finding it increasingly difficult to stay afloat, much less get ahead!

The resources WorkPath provides can ease your load and streamline the process of career planning or vocation identification for you and your students. WorkPath assessments focus on real workplace skills. A student’s aptitude and individual strengths will be discovered. Areas where students need improvement can easily be addressed with additional training, all through WorkPath. Your goals of consistently improving post-high school transitions and assisting students in developing a realistic career plan can be achieved.

What is WorkPath?

WorkPath is a series of steps to guide students and individuals who are 18 and over in Wilkes, Ashe and Alleghany counties with career planning, getting a job or advancing in their current career. Regardless of education or expertise, registering for WorkPath is the first step on the road to success.

What type of assessment is involved?

WorkPath helps students determine their natural skills and abilities. They will be given an assessment called the CRC-Career Readiness Certificate that will test their skills in three major areas:

• Applied Mathematics
• Reading for Information
• Locating Information

Based on their unique skill level, students are then awarded a Career Readiness Certificate (CRC) - Bronze, Silver or Gold.

What’s the difference between a CRC and a GED or a
high school diploma?

Technology is outpacing our current skill level. Even if students have earned a high school diploma, GED or post-secondary degree, by the year 2010, 80 percent of jobs may require skills more advanced than those traditionally acquired.

What advantage will a CRC give my students?

The occupation or career your students choose to pursue will require certain skills. A CRC is an assessment-based credential that provides a uniform measure of key workplace skills. Opportunities for growth and reinforcement will be identified, and a plan for additional skill training can be developed. If a student chooses to enter a career straight from high school, a CRC gives them an advantage in a competitive workforce. It allows them to show prospective employers that they possess the basic skills and qualifications that company requires.

How Do I Help My Students Get Started and learn more
about the resources WorkPath provides?

Contact your local NC JobLink.