• Research current trends in occupations through your children’s school career resource center or library, public library, newspapers, and magazines.

Occupational Outlook Handbook  
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ 

• Help your children develop a plan of study. A plan of study is a planned, coherent sequence of courses, 4-6 years in duration that leads to or supports a career pathway.  A pathway can lead to a skill certificate, two-year associate degree, four-year degree, the military, and apprenticeship, etc. then scroll to “Plan of Study” to complete a plan of study with your child.

Plan of Study
http://www.okcareertech.org/guidance
Click on Career Clusters Plan of Study. Select a career cluster icon.

Encourage your children to consider a variety of schooling options.
Can Students Get a Technology Center Education and Still Go to College?

CareerTech           
http://www.okwhatsnext.com/0index/index-1.htm
Click on “College.”

Oklahoma Higher Education 
http://okhighered.org

Military Career Guide
http://www.todaysmilitary.com/

• Instill in your children a love of learning. In the workplace, workers need the ability to acquire new information and skills and apply them to their jobs.
   
• Encourage your child to keep certificates and reports in a portfolio to show what skills have been mastered.
  
  Career Activity File
  http://www.okcareertech.org/guidance/CareerInfo/caf.htm

Click on “Career Information Products – Career Activity File.” Select Career Activity File 2001– Career Portfolio (K-12) pages 6-7 of 79 pages and 11-17 of 79 pages.