School Career Counselors and Specialists
NCDA follows a constituency model to better represent and serve the diverse needs of our members. These groupings are designed to help you in your networking, to facilitate greater connection with colleagues who may share similar interests and work settings, and to enhance communication between the membership and the NCDA Board.
In this section of the website, you will have the opportunity to hear from the trustee for the constituency group that most closely represents your work setting or interest affiliation. Similarly, when attending the NCDA Global Conference, you can meet with fellow participants in your constituency groups. This section may post results of these conference gatherings or additional resources your trustee wishes to share.
The categories of links listed here serve as a connection to a select few valuable resources. It is not intended to be all-inclusive, and will grow/change in the future. Contact your Constituency Trustee for more information and watch your emails from this group.
Carla B. Cheatham
Trustee, School Career Counselors and Specialists (SCCS)
Brief Biography >
cbcheatham@gmail.com
Announcing the new 2024 National Career Development Guidelines (NCDG)!
The previous framework has been updated and a new section of the NCDA website has been created. It offers the framework in a more accessible, visible and interactive format.
The NCDG is a framework of career development competencies and indicators of mastery, including a recommended strategy for implementing career development programs for youth or adults.
This dynamic website welcomes your contribution – visit the website to learn how: Go to www.ncda.org and click on Standards and then National Career Development Guidelines.
If you were not able to be at the San Diego conference, maybe you can attend the Virtual Conference, July 22-Oct 31, 2024 – registration is open until October 1st – view session #413 at your convenience to learn about the new web section: The Interconnection of Guidelines and School Career Development: Building a Web Resource for the Future - Presented by Carla Cheatham, NCDA Board Trustee for School Career Counselors & Specialists (SCCS); Celeste Hall, former NCDA Board Trustee for SCCS; Melanie Reinersman, NCDA Website & Web Magazine Editor.
If you are an SCDA instructor, be sure to encourage your students to use and contribute to the NCDG website.
NCDA provides a variety of resources for those in the K-12 area of career development. Here are links to a few:
The K-12 department of the Career Convergence web magazine serves as a forum for the exchange of ideas and practices that will best serve the career counseling and development needs of school-age children. This includes cutting edge ideas in the field, implementing goals practically, and informing the audience why they are particularly beneficial. Published articles reflect the best practices of career practitioners and educators who are training them. Read articles on topics such as career development and family relationships, career assessment tools that provide improved understanding of career intervention, theories related to career counseling in the schools, and activities developed for students in elementary, middle, and high schools.
Gaining Cultural Competence in Career Counseling - Chapter 8 of this NCDA publication focuses on working with children and adolescents. Also, be sure to look at NCDA's resources on Social Justice.
Invite students to celebrate careers through the annual Poetry & Art Contest. Opening every November, National Career Development Month, the contest follows a set theme to introduce students to creative means of learning about career development.
Looking for Career Help? Practitioners provide a variety of career development services. Based on their levels of education, training, years of experience, and professional credentials, they may be Career Counselors or Career Services Providers (Coaches, Advisors, Consultants). Search the database to find career help near you.
Click on any title below to view the linked website, PDF or video resource from a variety of career-related sources.
Career Information ResourcesThis scan, from the National Skills Coalition, identifies 12 states that have policies that require and/or fund the alignment of a variety of elements of a career pathways system for low-skilled adults, including integrated basic education and skills training, career counseling, support services, high school equivalent credentials, industry-recognized and stackable postsecondary credentials, and industry engagement.
This career video provides information about the wide range of career options and opportunities in the automation field, explained by a wide range of workers currently in the field. In addition, the link to the cyber field is especially effective, providing good information, and demonstrating the important military-civilian collaboration.
Here you will find helpful resources like implementation guides, case studies, and program sustainability resources to help you map your journey from beginning initiatives to school-wide practice.
This U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Youth Employment series document offers a framework for defining, measuring, adopting, and advancing career readiness.
Connects students to career role models.
This a report created in collaboration between the University of San Diego and the Cajon Valley School District highlighting best practices for implementing career development in grades K-8. The World of Work program integrates self and career exploration using the vocabulary and content of the RIASEC model to encourage students to “envision their future possible selves”.
Discovering a career is a driving force as students make decisions about their future. Use these resources to motivate your child to think about their career goals and the multiple pathways they can take to reach them. The Family and Caring Adult Table Talk Guide was created by BigFuture, a program by the College Board, in collaboration with NCDA.
If your school district has adopted or needs to adopt policies that encourage 'extended learning', visit this NH DOE website. It defines extended learning, provides highlights from initiatives, lists the four components of a rigorous ELO and more!
In our South Carolina schools, educators integrate career awareness and exploration into the curriculum, helping to guide our students into fields where they can be productive, valued members of this 21st century workforce. Forestbrook Middle School in Horry County Schools has created a world-class career exploration program that prepares students for high skill, high wage and big demand careers. In addition, we met the National and State Career Specialist of the Year 2011 to learn about best practices and the role of career and technology education in workforce development. Program coordinated by Dr. Ray Davis and produced by eMedia and SCETV. Video: Part 1 (27 minutes)
Because there are so many resources on the Internet, identifying the best or most useful ones can take many hours of online research. NCDA has undertaken the task to collect, organize, curate, and publish online, a listing of free, current, and credible resources that are available on the Internet and are useful to career counselors, coaches, and specialists as they work with clients.
Check out these jointly produced materials designed to teach students about the world of work and engage them in the career planning process.
Shared during the NCDA K-12 SCCS Lunchroom Chat, June 18, 2020.
Announcing the new 2024 National Career Development Guidelines (NCDG)! The previous framework has been updated and a new section of the NCDA website has been created. It offers the framework in a more accessible, visible and interactive format. The NCDG is a framework of career development competencies and indicators of mastery, including a recommended strategy for implementing career development programs for youth or adults.
This dynamic website welcomes your contribution – visit the website to learn how!
National Skills Coalition is advocating for states to adopt a set of policies that broadly expand access to middle-skill training, especially for those who have faced barriers to economic opportunity. These “skills equity” policies are intended to remove barriers that, if addressed, will make it easier for low-income people to access and complete middle-skill training that leads to an in-demand credential and family-supporting job.
Obtain information to help prepare young people and adults for postsecondary education and careers.
While the principles and action steps in this PDF, at first glance, may not appear to be groundbreaking innovations, it is the shared commitment to implementing this learner-centric, learner-driven vision that has the potential to be transformational. Making this vision a reality requires an unwavering, steadfast commitment from all sectors and stakeholders.
Provides a webinar series about how to provide comprehensive supports in a virtual learning environment.
School Safety & Shooting Resources
The school shooting at Texas brings both grief and anger as we consider the unspeakable losses that the families have experienced and the trauma experienced by the whole community. We are reminded of the risks that are inherent in the work that we do. We do our best to prepare for the worst day while we go into our schools working to provide the best days for our students and their families.
Here are resources for times like these.
School Safety – Family Resources from the National PTA: https://www.pta.org
Path Home -> Safety -> School Safety
After A School Shooting Resources – American School Counselor Association: www.schoolcounselor.org
Sandy Hook Promise: www.Sandyhookpromise.org
School Safety Resources: www.schoolSafety.gov
National Center on Safe Supportive Learning: https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov
While the NCDA Code of Ethics does not directly speak to our obligation to advocate for safety in our schools, the responsibility to provide a learning environment that “avoids actions that cause harm and work for the good of the individual and society by promoting mental health and well being” (NCDA Code of Ethics, 2015, Preamble) certainly does. As a constituency group of the National Career Development Association, I believe that it is part of our role to seek ways to support efforts that provide safe and nurturing learning environments for students, parents and all of those who work in schools. I will be seeking your input related to this topic when we meet at the conference in Anaheim in June and welcome your ideas about how our constituency can work within NCDA toward this goal.
The NCDA Code of Ethics also speaks to our responsibility for self-care. I encourage you to engage in activities that bring you a sense of peace and rest as we end another school year. Thank you for your dedication to your schools and communities. I look forward to another year of working and socializing together as we continue to help our students and families learn and grow together.
Find information from newsletters, videos, books focusing on advancing technological literacy among school counselors and administrators.
This publication, from the National Skills Coalition, identifies 19 states with stackable postsecondary credential policies, including requirements that credits earned in certificate and associate degree programs be accepted at the next level of education as well as policies that provide funding to support stackable credentials at the postsecondary level.
This website is designed to:
- Introduce employers and educators to the value of partnering.
- Describe best practices and success stories.
- Disseminate evidence-based tools that contain academic and practical solutions for building partnerships, sustaining collaborations, and creating career pathways.
You can find a wealth of resources for career lessons across grades and offer it to students and parents. All activities are free to download and use.
NCDA is excited to release the re-imagined 7th edition of our influential guide to career assessment. Re-conceptualized and renamed to A Comprehensive Guide to Career Assessment, the Guide contains important information career counselors, educators and practitioners will find invaluable in learning about career assessment and selecting assessments specific to client needs. The Guide is a resource that connects to multiple service sectors and embraces global perspectives of career assessment. Available as a foundational print book as well as a subscription service to the comprehensive chapters and new reviews, shop the NCDA Career Resource Store for the product that best fits your needs.
Listen now! NCDA’s new podcast is available for streaming online and wherever you listen to podcasts.
Obtain information on this NCDA training for practitioners who provide career assistance.
NCDA’s new on-demand learning platform features a variety of courses and opportunities to earn continuing education (CE) credits.
Announcing the new 2024 National Career Development Guidelines (NCDG)! The previous framework has been updated and a new section of the NCDA website has been created. It offers the framework in a more accessible, visible and interactive format. The NCDG is a framework of career development competencies and indicators of mastery, including a recommended strategy for implementing career development programs for youth or adults.
This dynamic website welcomes your contribution – visit the website to learn how!
Learn more about this premiere conference for career development professionals.
This page on continuing education provides detailed information specific to NCDA.
The Legacy Series: Dr. Norm Gysbers and Dr. JoAnn Harris-Bowlsbey
Following ACTE in Charlotte in 2008, Dr. Ray Davis created a four-part interview with Dr. Gysbers and colleague Dr. JoAnn Harris-Bowlsbey as they reflected on our profession past, present and future. This series entitled, “The Legacy Series: Inspired by the Past - Reaching toward the Future.”
This monograph is an overview of the practice of career coaching. It covers a brief history of career coaching and a comparison to career counseling. Techniques, ethics, theories and models, and assessments are shared to increase knowledge and proficiency in delivering career coaching services to diverse clientele. Themes for the future of career coaching related to workforce demands are included, as well as a fully stocked appendix for use by coaches in practice. Available in the NCDA Career Resource Store as either a print or ebook (PDF). (Maietta, 2022)
Read articles covering best practices, how-to details, career tips, and book reviews in NCDA's web magazine.
NCDA's official journal with articles covering career counseling, work and leisure, career education, coaching, and management.
A quarterly publication of NCDA for members, this print magazine is a themed publication offering articles that balance a broad vision with practical applications. Each issue offers a focused article on a select theme, a feature article on a prominent NCDA event, specific content for four departments (including School Counselors, Professional Counselors, Graduate Students, and Career Development Facilitators), and four regular columns.
The re-imagined 7th edition of our influential guide to career assessment has been published as both a print book and an online subscription. Re-conceptualized and renamed the Guide contains important information career counselors, educators, practitioners, researchers and students will find invaluable in learning about career assessment and selecting assessments specific to client needs. The Guide is a resource that connects to multiple service sectors and embraces global perspectives of career assessment. Read more about the unique dual resource and shop the NCDA Career Resource Store.
The second edition of this NCDA monograph is for senior managers, managers, practitioners, administrative staff, collaborating partners and stakeholders interested in the cost-effective design and delivery of career interventions for adolescents and adults who need assistance in making occupational, educational, training, and employment decisions. An eight-step model for implementing career interventions is presented, along with evaluation and accountability strategies. (Sampson & Lenz, 2023)
In recent years, journals and other publications have attended to issues for diverse populations but a single resource is more useful to educators, practitioners and students who want to be more informed about diversity, equity, social justice and career counseling. Gaining Cultural Competence in Career Counseling, 2nd edition, goes into depth on each of these issues, as well as career theories, assessment, and ethics. The first four chapters focus on the foundational skills for effective counseling across cultures. The next five chapters integrate multicultural competences with specific career and social justice counseling competences. The significantly updated second edition includes a a new chapter on working with children and adolescents. Each chapter includes new exercises and questions for reflection, and case scenarios supplement the content.
In 1959, John L. Holland introduced a theory of vocational choices involving personality typology (widely known in the career development field as the Holland Code, or RIASEC). Included with this previously unpublished autobiography are book chapters, journal articles and other original source material that will enhance the reader's understanding of both the theory and the scientist.
Peabody Journal of Education
A past issue of the Peabody Journal of Education examines the important role of career and technical education in helping young people transition from high school to lives as productive citizens in a rapidly changing labor market. These three articles address a range of topics that are critical to CTE, including curriculum, career readiness, work-based learning, teachers and career pathways.
Stone, J. R., III. (2017). Introduction to Pathways to a Productive Adulthood: The Role of CTE in the American High School.
Castellano, M., Sundell, K. E., & Richardson, G. B. (2017). Achievement Outcomes Among High School Graduates in College and Career Readiness Programs of Study.
Stringfield, S., & Stone, J. R. III. (2017). The Labor Market Imperative for CTE: Changes and Challenges for the 21st Century.
Learn more about NCDA's parent organization for professional counselors. ACA also includes the following related divisions:
Learn more about this organization, which focuses on enhancing school counseling programs and researching effective counseling practices. Offers a Professional Interest Network covering career development issues.
The Career Development Specialists Network (CDSN) was founded in 1978 as a forum for professional Career Counselors to share knowledge and expertise about career development theory and practice.
Find information for individuals in the field of educational and vocational guidance, including the Counsellor Resource Center. Read more IAEVG newsletters and journals under NCDA Global Resources.
Find out how to access technical information collected for career practitioners on college campuses.
