C1. Creating a Postsecondary Plan
Specific Expectations
C1.1
select and organize information related to the postsecondary options that best suit their specific interests, values, strengths, and aspirations to refine their goal(s) for their first postsecondary year
- Which field(s) of study and/or area(s) of work most closely reflect(s) what you have learned about yourself – your values, skills, and interests? Can you explain why?
- What are your “must haves” versus your “nice-to-haves” in a job, occupation, or community activity? What criteria [e.g., salary, job satisfaction, type of work, career path, alignment with corporate values, location, safety, healthy work environment, security] should be considered when you are exploring future education and career options? How were you able to differentiate between your “needs” and your “wants” in a job or occupation? What tools would you use to rank the criteria? Which of the options that you’ve explored comes closest to meeting your highest-ranked preferences?
- In your first postsecondary year, what do you hope to do or learn about in addition to starting on the path to your main educational or career/life goal? What new interests would you like to pursue?
- What are the implications of the goal(s) you have chosen for your first postsecondary year? How will your choice(s) affect other aspects of your life?
Teachers can encourage students to:
- think creatively as they review and organize the information they’ve gathered about postsecondary options;
- keep in mind that there may be more than one postsecondary pathway to a desired destination and that they can draw on the skills learned in this course to adapt and change their plans as needed;
- use a decision-making process (applying learning outlined in strand A) to refine their goals.
C1.2
develop a plan that identifies steps and strategies for working towards their initial postsecondary goal(s), addressing potential opportunities and challenges
- Steps and strategies to be identified: General (for all students): identify some of the skills they will need to make the transition from secondary school to their postsecondary destination; consider what resources they will need to make the transition; review what they have learned about habits of mind, such as perseverance and resilience, and strategies, such as time management and consulting with others, that contribute to success; Specific (dependent on individual student goals): attend college/university or job fairs; research the availability of scholarships or jobs; visit campuses or workplaces; explore community living options; research apprenticeship and skilled trades qualification processes; learn about admission deadlines or workplace requirements; ask for recommendations from teachers or former employers; find a mentor
- What might your initial plan look like? How might a graphic organizer help you in creating your plan?
- What skills do you need to achieve your goal? How can you develop these skills? What work or co-op experience, internships, community involvement or extracurricular activities, leadership opportunities, or other experiences should you consider to help build these skills?
- Consider that your learning and your personal development over the next two years of secondary school may change the way you think about your postsecondary goals. Who can you consult in order to keep as many doors open as possible, and have alternative options?
- How can you prepare for the transition from high school to an initial postsecondary destination? What challenges and/or opportunities do you anticipate? What skills can you use to help you adapt to change [e.g., identifying and managing emotions, coping with stress, maintaining positive motivation, nurturing healthy relationships, developing self-awareness and a sense of identity, critical and creative thinking]?
- Who could you ask for a reference or recommendation? What is the best way to request a reference or recommendation?
Teachers can encourage students to:
- draw on existing plans such as their Individual Pathways Plan (IPP) and/or Individual Education Plan (IEP) to help them develop a plan for their first year after secondary school;
- revise and update their Individual Pathways Plan (IPP), recording their initial postsecondary destination; their other postsecondary goals or plans; a detailed plan to complete the courses and experiences required to achieve these goals; and strategies to support the plan, overcome obstacles and challenges, and access the resources and assistance needed;
- explore the transitions section of the Ontario Native Education Counselling Association (ONECA) website, or the Transition Resource Guide for Students with Disabilities for support in making the transition from secondary school to a postsecondary destination.
C1.3
use effective and appropriate forms, media, and styles to communicate their skills, experience, and achievements to prospective mentors, program administrators, employers, community organizations, scholarship funders, or investors
Forms of communication: a public profile for a career-oriented social media networking site that highlights their skills and interests; an application essay/video for an award or a co-op opportunity; a résumé and cover letter for a potential job; a mock interview with peers; a personal website
- How can you use social media to demonstrate your interests, strengths, and skills to potential employers? How does using media in this way contribute to the development of your sense of self and to the way you present yourself to the world [e.g., building a “personal brand”]?
- What information could you include in your public profile for a networking site, keeping your privacy rights and responsibilities in mind, and how might you present it?
- What are some different types of résumés, and how do you choose the format best suited to your purpose? When might a paper résumé, multimedia/digital résumé, or other type of résumé be useful? How can you customize these different types of résumés to respond to the requirements of a specific job posting? What should be included in your cover letter?
- What specific words and body language might support the impression you want to make in a mock interview? What stories or examples of past experiences could you relate to illustrate your skills?
- What feedback have you received from peers and trusted adults or from interviewers about your social media presence, personal website, résumé, interviewing skills, and/or other job-seeking tools and skills? How can you use this feedback to update and polish your job-searching tools and skills?