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Youth in Transition Toolkit:

Youth in Transition Toolkit

  1. Educate yourself
  2. Engage families
  3. Support youth
    1. My best life
    2. Independent living
    3. Employment
    4. Postsecondary education and training
3

Employment

Career exploration

Explore occupations and career possibilities

What careers interest the youth? Learning about, seeing and trying out various career possibilities sends a message about high expectations and allows youth to make informed decisions about their career path.

  • Awareness: Understand a broad range of career opportunities using Minnesota's career fields, clusters and pathways (PDF) career wheel and online career information systems. The document includes roles and qualifications for different positions, in-demand industries and occupations, non-traditional employment options and advancement opportunities. Participate in work-based learning experiences to increase awareness.
  • Exploration: Consider strengths, preferences and interests and match them to potential career opportunities (including identification of roles, qualifications, labor market information and advancement opportunities for positions of interest). Participate in work-based learning experiences that allow for exploration.
  • Preparation: Identify career goals and develop a plan of activities and services to achieve these goals. Align career goals with postsecondary education and training and independent living goals. Participate in work-based learning experiences that offer preparation for employment.
  • Implementation: Carry out plan and update it regularly based on changing interests and needs. Participate in work-based learning experiences to implement employment skills.

Job exploration counseling

Lightbulb LEARN

LEARN: Develop your knowledge

Learn how to support youth in exploring occupations and career possibilities.

The National Technical Assistance Center on Transition (NTACT) offers a collection of curricula and lessons to help you provide job exploration counseling.  

Resources DO

DO: Work with youth

Find resources to help youth explore occupations and career possibilities.

The Minnesota career fields, clusters and pathways career wheel (PDF) depicts skills, career fields, career clusters and career pathways to help job seekers understand a range of career opportunities.

Image of the Minnesota Career Fields, clusters and pathways infographic
Minnesota career fields, clusters and pathways (PDF)
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