Career Readiness

An Educational Development Plan (EDP) is a document showing a student’s current interests, abilities, and career pathways.  It is more comprehensive than a schedule of classes because it includes information a student can use to make wise choices about post-secondary options.

The State of Michigan requires that students must be given the opportunity to create an EDP beginning in the 6th grade and revise it appropriately throughout high school.  An EDP is designed to assist students to identify career development goals as they relate to academic requirements, which may be fulfilled through career and technical education.

In middle school, starting in 7th-grade counselors meet with all classes to instruct students on updating their EDP annually.  In high school, students in various courses are given time to update their EDP annually. The essential elements for updating an EDP are exploring careers, projected job openings, educational/training goals, career interest surveys,  activities, experiences, and plans of action.

• All K-2 students complete two Career Towns within Xello.

• All 3rd-5th graders complete two missions within Xello

• 5th Grade field trip to the Clarkston Family Farm in support of their Life Science unit included a new Career Component. 

• Meteorologists from the National Weather Service, as well as WXYZ, meet Clarkston’s 3rd graders to talk about their world of work. 

• Purposeful Play materials were purchased for new-to-K/1 teachers who needed career-focused items.

• Opportunities for classrooms to connect with industry professionals via Pathway Connect 

• For “Science With the Engineers,” 4th graders build a motor with local engineers and explicitly learn about the work of an engineer in the process. 

• Elected state government representatives to meet with students to discuss their legislative duties. 

• During the 2nd Grade Mercado unit (a Social Studies/Elementary Spanish collaboration), students get a feel for what it’s like to launch a business and aim to entice consumers (their classmates) to spend their limited resources (pretend dinero). This experience precedes the “Mini Societies” unit that happens in 3rd Grade Social Studies classrooms. 

• Naturalists from the Oakland County Parks include a Career Component when bringing our 5th graders their inflatable planetarium to support the students’ Earth Science unit. 

• A Career Component is included in our K-5 school’s Mad Science Detroit assemblies. 

• 1st and 2nd graders hear from a published author about their day-to-day life and the writing process. 

• 3rd Grade field trip to the Clarkston Family Farm supports their Life Science unit and includes a new Career Component. 

• Numerous local business owners play a part in the 2nd Grade annual Clarkston Walk.

• As part of the “Shark Tank” experience that is being built into the 4th-grade Economics unit, local entrepreneurs, as well as CHS AP Economics students, provide tips on student prototypes. 

• Community members share information about their work life, likely to be inspired by the very successful 2022 edition.  

• All 6th-7th students update their Educational Development Plans annually through Xello in PAWS

• Career exploration activities will be offered in PAWS lessons in addition to EDP completion 

• Career day is held annually in the spring, and the Nepris (Pathful Connect) platform is utilized to introduce our students to a wide variety of industry professionals nationwide. 

• 7th graders who have expressed an interest in career technical fields are taking a field trip to Oakland Community College on October 18th to tour the facilities and learn more about their programs.

• Students are asked about career goals at the beginning of each year on a counseling survey completed in PAWS.

• All 8th-9th students update their Educational Development Plans annually through Xello in WolfTime
• Career day is held in March annually, with each teacher bringing in a speaker to talk with their classes about their career. 
• STEMi Truck from Oakland Schools spends a week at CJHS to allow 8th-grade students to experience different STEM activities.
• 9th-12th  graders can participate in Construction Tech housed at CJHS to earn certifications and obtain hands-on construction experience. They are also invited to compete at the county, state, and national levels.
• Builder Sam Moraco, from MLC Builders, presents to students about career opportunities in the Construction Industry. 
• PASSES Safety visits the Construction Tech program to conduct a two-day youth career safety awareness program 
• Local Mason Scott Albaugh visits the Construction Tech program to work with students to pour 8 yards of concrete under his guidance.
• Cintas Safety visits the Construction Tech program to provide Respirator Training, students earn fitting certificates.
• Four Construction Tech students participate in Work Based Learning opportunities where they earn high school credit and are paid for work experience.

• All 10-12th grade students update their Educational Development Plans annually through Xello in WolfTime.
• Career Day, January of each year, multiple speakers from different career fields/pathways present to students at CHS to align student course requests with those matching their career pathways.
• Curriculum Night, February of each year, includes presentations and booths highlighting different career fields/ pathways (to align student course requests with those matching their career pathway)
• Students in CTE classes use Pathful Connect (formerly Nepris) for additional career exploration/research.
• All juniors complete a post-high school unit/workbook in their ELA 11 courses. Career topics include two and four-year college options, trade school options, military options, apprenticeship and internship information, and resume building.
• Military Rep visits once per month from various branches of the Military
• Michigan Works visits and meets with students explaining offerings they have for students who won’t attend college or a trade school. 
• Work-Based Education program offered to students in 12th grade, students can earn high school credit for work experience.
• 60+ students attended Manufacturing Day, visiting 3 Auburn Hills Advanced Manufacturing Companies. The students were able to have a first-hand look at the high-tech and programming-enabled manufacturing that is occurring in these companies.
• The 9-12th grade Construction Tech program gives students hands-on construction experiences, with multiple certifications available.
• CHS offers 43 Career Tech Ed classes 
• Students can attend OSTC, which offers 13 career-immersive programs
• DEEP Early College Program (Dual Enrollment Education Program) is available to students in 11th and 12th grades. University of Michigan Flint on-site program, the minimum cost to the student/family student, can earn 60+ college credits and an associate's degree by the time they graduate high school.
• ACE Early College Program is available to students in 11th and 12th grades. Students attend OCC, free of charge and can earn 60+ college credits and an associate's degree by the time they graduate high school.
• CHS offers several Career and Technical Student Organizations that offer leadership and competition opportunities
  • Business Professionals of America - competitions for students in a wide variety of areas, including coding, resume writing, mock interviews, etc.
  • Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America - students create outreach opportunities for our community.
  • SkillsUSA - competitions for students in construction and engineering. Students also gain leadership opportunities through planning Maker Girl Mania, a STEM event for students K-7th grade.