Our School Outreach Coordinators helped coordinate their schools’ DiscoverU events the week of October 17-21. DiscoverU was an exciting week for our community to come together and support students in exploring career and college options. Through fun activities in school and in the community, students throughout Seattle and South King County had opportunities to explore their futures. DiscoverU puts student interests at the center and helps connect their aspirations with the many pathways to get there.
DiscoverU is an effort to help build a “beyond high school” culture. According to a study by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, 67% of jobs in Washington State will require some form of post-secondary credential by 2018. Currently, only 28% of students from our region receive a two or four-year degree by their mid-20s.
Research finds that attending a school with a college-going climate is one of the most important predictors of students attending college. Career and college exploration is also important because:
- When students think about and plan for their futures, they do better in school
- Currently too few students are exposed to career awareness activities
- Research shows young women and students of color often limit their career choices early
- Middle school is a time when kids are forming ideas about careers, however they often lack awareness about careers or have unrealistic ideas about the world of work
- Experiential learning opportunities help students develop and connect their interests to their academic pursuits
