College for Adults Self Exploration

National College Transition Network (NCTN)

College for Adults Self-Exploration guides users through a comprehensive career planning process to examine their current skills and experience, research occupational information, and set career and educational goals.

What This Includes

Skills addressed: Communication, Accountability, Self-motivation, Collaboration, Technology, Respect, Leadership, Self-confidence

Learner resources

Comprehensive self-exploration process to examine learner’s experience, skills, job values, interests, and education, then research occupational information and set career and educational goals
Downloadable worksheets on career and education planning, work experience (for both paid and unpaid work), job values, skills, occupational exploration, and using videos to learn about occupations
Online occupational search resources, including the Occupational Outlook Handbook, America’s Career InfoNet, and the Massachusetts Career Information System

Key Takeaways

The simple design of the webpage and easy-to-understand English makes this site accessible to English Language Learner students or job seekers with intermediate reading skills.
Adult education and workforce development professionals can print the worksheet resources for students to complete at home or in a classroom setting as part of a blended learning experience.
The Skills Identification worksheet, which addresses communication, self-management and other skills, could be used as part of an education unit about personal and workplace success skills.

Background

This career planning resource comes from the National College Transition Network (NCTN), which provides technical assistance and professional development services to community college, adult education, and workforce systems. The NCTN guides the design and implementation of career pathways programs preparing adults for work in occupations that pay a living wage. Career Pathways publications include a Clean Energy Guide, Integrating IET Guide, Single Mothers’ Success Report on the findings from a three-year project, and a career navigator trainer course. Recent publications include the WIOA Reauthorization: Equity Level Series for leaders and the informative Ability To Benefit Resource Page.

Tags: Communication, Digital Literacy, Emotional Intelligence, Leadership & Initiative, Respecting Differences, Self-Management, Teamwork & Collaboration, Advising & Coaching Tool, Assessment Tool, Audio / Video, Download & Print, Free