Parents have impact on student's career guidance
Parents have a critical role in providing their children with a framework to think about their career goals and what it takes to attain them, according to recent research by the National Standards for Parent/Family Involvement Programs.
This finding, according to an educator from South Dakota, has triggered the national goal of establishing partnerships that will increase parental involvement and promoting social, emotional and academic growth of children.
Marsha Kucker, state coordinator for South Dakota Tech/Prep Career Guidance, cited a research which showed that when parents are involved, students achieve more regardless of the family’s socio-economic status, ethnic or racial background and the parents’ education level.
The same research showed that students whose parents are involved have higher graduation rates and greater enrollment on post-secondary education.
The study cited two barriers that parents need to overcome: lack of training and lack of time.
“Given these realities, priorities must be given to assisting teachers in overcoming these barriers to establish effective partnerships with parents,” Kucker wrote in the recent issue of the National Career Guidance News.
“Both educators and parents have multiple demands on their time, so each school needs to determine the types of partnerships that are most important and then set priorities,” she added.
Kucker noted that career planning, like parenting, is a life-long process which starts with early elementary years and continues throughout adult life.
“Changing technology, changing work environments and changing expectations in the workplace demand that today’s youth are flexible and can adapt to a changing world,” Kucker said.
It is not adequate to focus children on a single occupation, Kucker said.
She said emphasis should be placed on teaching young people the career development process so they can continually prepare for a successful future in an ever-changing world.
“To fully assist in the planning process,” Kucker said, “parents must be aware of the career decision making process—the continues cycle of assessment, exploration, goal setting and planning and strategies for reaching these goals.”
The challenge for parents and counselors, Kucker said, is to help students discover and use their natural and developed skills, interest and values to their fullest potential. (MCM)
