Career Information

Pennsylvania Career Guide from the Department of Labor and Industry.

Berks Career & Technology Centers (BCTC)

http://www.berkscareer.com

Every September, a counselor from the Berks Career and Technology Centers (BCTC) comes to Wyomissing Area Jr/Sr High School with a presentation informing our students of the importance of post-secondary education and training, job projections for the 21st century both locally and nationally, and the skills needed for employment. BCTC's state-of-the-art facilities, curriculum, and their respective program's applicability in today's workforce are also highlighted.

Every October ninth graders who had signed up during the presentations are taken to BCTC to visit two program areas in which they expressed an interest. Based on the September and October opportunities, students are invited to apply for openings at either one of the two Career and Technology Center campuses (BCTC East or BCTC West) for the Fall of the following school year. Applications should be completed and returned to BCTC through Mr. Clewell by the end of November for entry into programs the next school year. Students in grades 9, 10, & 11 should see their counselors and Mr. Clewell if interested in applying. For more information about BCTC, go to www.berkscareer.com.

Annually, all 8th grade students visit the BCTC West (Leesport) campus on a designated day as part of Wyomissing Area Jr/Sr High School's Career Awareness Program. Students hear a presentation about the job market and career fields before they tour the center's facilities and program areas. Not every program is offered at both BCTC campuses. Should a student be interested in a program offered only at BCTC's East (Oley) campus, special arrangements to tour that site and program may be made.

Pa Career Education & Work (CEW) Standards:

Source: PDE (http://www.pacareerstandards.com )

Pennsylvania's State Board of Education established regulations of required education with Career Education and Work Standards for all students, K-12, in Pennsylvania. These standards (Chapter 4 of Title 22) address four key areas of knowledge:

  • Career Awareness and Preparation
  • Career Acquisition (Getting A Job)
  • Career Retention and Advancement
  • Entrepreneurship

Career Education and Work (CEW) reflects the increasing complexity and sophistication that students experience as they progress through school. This area includes career awareness and planning, career acquisition, career retention and entrepreneurship. Within these areas, students examine their interests, strengths, abilities and goals; identify types of careers and training available; prepare career acquisition documents; examine technology used in the workplace; identify health and safety practices; demonstrate interviewing techniques; analyze personal budgets; and examine work habits and time management.
Through a comprehensive approach, Career Education and Work compliments all disciplines and other academic standards. If Pennsylvania's students are to succeed in the workplace, there are certain skills that they need to obtain prior to graduation from high school. These skills have been identified in Career Education and Work, but it is up to individual school districts to decide how they are to be taught. Schools can implement integration strategies within existing disciplines or can implement stand-alone courses to specifically address these skills. For more info and complete review of the new standards, go to www.pacareerstandards.com.

Career Cruising Source: Career Cruising

http://www.careercruising.com/default.asp

Thanks to a grant from The Berks Business Education Coalition (BBEC), Wyomissing Area Jr/Sr High School is pleased to have a site license for Career Cruising. Career Cruising is a career guidance web site that aims to help students plan their future as by enabling them to explore and plan potential career opportunities. There are a number of in-depth occupation profiles and a thorough database of post-secondary education information. Access can be from any computer that connects to the Internet. The site requires a login and password to access the resources of the site. Please contact the Counseling Department for this information.

Career Cruising is being aligned with the Pennsylvania Department of Education's Career Education and Work (CEW) standards to allow our students to begin completion of them by graduation, starting with the development of a Career Portfolio. This portfolio can be securely saved electronically on the Career Cruising web site, and can be reviewed at any time by the student, her/his counselor, and parents with proper login and password. Career Cruising is now being used in WASD in place of Bridges.com (CX ONLINE).

Berks Business Education Coalition (BBEC)

Source: BBEC

History: In late 1989, Samuel McCullough, Chairman of Meridian Bancorp, asked 23 business leaders to join him in identifying issues important to the Berks business community. Education was on everyone's list. A committee of four of Berks County's most prominent business leaders began addressing the ways that business could improve educational, vocational and skills training programs in Berks County schools. After a series of meetings, they formed the Berks Business Education Coalition (BBEC). In 1992, the BBEC incorporated as a non-profit organization. The Board of Directors represents both local businesses and educators from public, private and higher education institutions.

Mission: To coordinate the resources of the business community in partnership with the education community, toward selective initiatives which will improve student competency. Career Pathways is one such initiative - designed to help students explore and make career choices. The BBEC has worked to develop Berks County's Career Pathways model. For more information about Career Pathways and BBEC, please contact

Berks Business Education Coalition

960 Old Mill Road
Wyomissing, Pa. 19610
610-372-6144
610-372-7626 (Fax)
[email protected]
http://www.berksbec.org

Career Pathways Source

www.berkscareerpathways.com

Career Pathways is a K-12 program of career exploration and instruction. By helping students to explore career choices and learn skills important to their chosen fields, the program gives them a head start on the road to career success. Career Pathways is a career guidance process comprised of awareness in the elementary school, exploration in middle school, and job preparedness in high school. Upon graduation from high school, each student will be focused on a career and ready for either further instruction at a college, university, or trade school, or to begin a chosen career.

The Career Pathways program is designed around four broad career pathways, which are meant to bring focus and direction to a student's learning experience. Most Berks County Career Pathways school districts offer the following four career pathways for students to choose from:

  • Arts and Humanities
  • Business Technology
  • Engineering and Industrial
  • Health, Science & Human Services

Career Pathways Objectives:

  • To raise the level of learning for all students.
  • To prepare students for post-secondary success.
  • To have students choose one of four career areas to follow, thus providing a more focused high school education.
  • To provide for flexibility within and among the career areas.
  • To provide for a system of counseling and management to help the students make appropriate academic and career decisions.