In today’s rapidly evolving job market, preparing students for the workforce is more crucial than ever. The Career Connected Learning: Building Future-Ready Adults webinar, hosted by EVERFI as part of its 5th annual LearnOn Conference in July 2024, provided valuable insights on how educators can better equip their students with the skills needed to thrive in their future careers. This blog post highlights key points and insights from the webinar, focusing on the benefits of using EVERFI resources in the classroom to foster career readiness.
The Importance of Career Connected Learning
As Andee Hugenberg from EVERFI pointed out, by 2027, 70% of jobs will require post-secondary education and a job-specific credential1. However, job-specific skills are what will make students the most competitive in the job market. These skills include the ability to learn, adapt, and communicate effectively, as employers are beginning to place less emphasis on GPA’s alone as a predictive measure of workforce success.
Key Job Skills for Future Success
During the webinar, participants discussed the top ten job skills that will be essential for students to succeed in the future. These skills include critical thinking, resilience, complex problem-solving, analytical thinking, and innovation. While students are already excelling in areas such as creativity, originality, and technology use, there is still a need for improvement in critical thinking and problem-solving.
EVERFI Resources for Career Readiness
EVERFI offers a range of resources that can help educators integrate career connected learning into their classrooms. These resources are designed to be flexible and can be used both online and offline, providing students with a comprehensive learning experience. Some of the key EVERFI courses that focus on career readiness include:
- Keys to Your Future: College and Career Readiness™: This course helps students develop essential skills such as time management, study skills, and financial literacy1.
- EVERFI: Financial Literacy® for High School: Understanding financial wellness is crucial for students’ overall well-being. EVERFI’s collection of financial literacy courses teach students how to manage their money, including how to do their taxes.
- Ignition: Digital Wellness & Safety®: With the increasing importance of digital literacy, EVERFI’s digital citizenship courses help students navigate the digital world responsibly, including understanding misinformation and disinformation, a key skill for students to understand, particularly in an election year.
Additionally, EVERFI offers courses for high school students that delve into the world of Accounting (Accounting Careers: Limitless Opportunities™) and data science (Data Science Foundations™).
Real-Life Impact: Educator Shares Her Successes with EVERFI Resources
Stephanie DeYoung, a high school librarian and EVERFI Teacher Ambassador of the Year, shared her experiences using EVERFI resources in her school. She highlighted how EVERFI has brought equity to her students by providing access to essential skills such as resume writing and financial literacy. Stephanie emphasized the importance of connecting with librarians, who can be valuable resources for both busy teachers and students by helping with scholarships, FAFSA forms, tips for staying safe on social media, and a variety of other ways, and highlighted a quote from her adult brother who currently works in the financial services industry in London, who said “I really wish we were taught financial literacy way back when this would have made the difference.”
Stephanie is not alone in her preference for sharing EVERFI resources with her students – many other K12 educators have shared their stories and testimonials on the positive impact EVERFI has made in their classrooms.
Conclusion
The Career Connected Learning: Building Future-Ready Adults webinar underscored the importance of preparing students for the workforce by equipping them with essential job-specific skills. It also alluded to the relationship between money and mental health, noting “learning about money is huge because your financial wellness connects to your mental wellness.” (The EVERFI course Minding Your Money: Skills for Life addresses this topic).
EVERFI’s resources offer a valuable tool for educators to help their students succeed in their future careers. By integrating these college and career readiness resources into their classrooms, middle and high school teachers can ensure their students are well-prepared for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
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Webinar participants:
Stephanie DeYoung, Teacher Librarian
Stephanie DeYoung, MSLIS, has been a school librarian for 19 years at both private and public schools. For the last 3 years and to continue for years to come she is the teacher librarian at Everett Alvarez High School in Salinas, CA. The school is named for Everett Alvarez, Jr. the 2nd longest POW. She has been using EVERFI for over 15 years. She is an assistant swim coach as well as a supporter of students activities whether the arts or sports. When away from school she will be either walking/playing with her dogs, BeBe her 6 year old pittie and Georgie her 3 year old Cane Corso Rottweiler, driving her 9th grade daughter to practice, or relaxing at the ranch or beach with husband and family.
Andee Hugenberg, EVERFI District Success Lead