Transition to Postsecondary Education and/or Careers
Halperin (1994) discusses the need for high schools "to help all young people (1) prepare for high-skill and high-wage careers, (2) receive top-quality instruction, and (3) gain the foundation skills to pursue postsecondary education and lifelong learning" (p. 4). Although Halperin is describing a school-to-work effort, it is obvious that he also is referring to transition to college and any type of further education that supports careers. Through cooperative partnerships between schools, teachers, employers, and the community, students can gain workplace skills and work experience while in high school and become better prepared for continued education and the career of their choice.
Paris and Mason (1995) explain that schools need to prepare all students for the future:
"[School-to-work transition] is an effort that should touch all students--those bound for four-year colleges and universities as well as those who plan to attend a community or technical college or begin work. All students should be prepared for postsecondary education whether it consists of workplace training, a course, an associate degree, a baccalaureate degree, or other learning endeavors." (p. 2)
School-to-work approaches include a variety of activities, programs, experiences, and opportunities that help prepare students for work. Some examples are: integration of the academic and vocational curriculum, youth apprenticeships, tech prep, internships, mentorships, job shadowing, career exploration, career academies, occupational high schools, and occupational clusters.
