Final Blog

As this course comes to a close, I have thought about the amount of useful information that I gained in regard to career counseling and development.   Honestly, if it wasn’t for this course, I would be included in the high number of people that never use the internet for occupational information.   In Chapter 18, Trends and Issues in Career Information, Brown (2012) discussed predictions about issues surrounding career information.  Brown (2012) discussed that there will be an improvement with the delivery of occupational information to individuals.  Counselors will develop strategic objectives to engage people who lack a high school education with career oriented information.  The wealth of information on the internet about career development will continue to surge and it is essential that this information is extended to racial and ethnic groups that are at risk for loss of work.

     Trends in career counseling, as mentioned in the text, focused on career counseling as a specialty and the importance of each counselor knowing information about career development for each client they serve.  I remember in the beginning of this semester, I asked a peer who works in an outpatient setting if she had to counsel people about career.  She said that it was surprising to her how often the topic of career comes up in her counseling sessions.  She recognized the importance of her gaining knowledge about career because in this economy, more and more people are unemployed and facing economic stressors.  Brown (2012) also discussed the importance of career counseling for minorities.  Increased rates of high school drop outs by Hispanic youth are a major social concern.  The largest minority group of people is of Hispanic descent and with high drop out rates, information about career would be difficult to obtain unless there is adequate knowledge about career information on the internet. 

Finally, Brown (2012) discussed career development programming.  Brown (2012) suggested that there is much needed improvement between the interaction of technology (computer systems) and humans.  As I have stated in previous posts, I did not know about the O’Net or other internet sites that provide career information.  Somewhere there seems to be a disconnect in their area and maybe with last weeks workshop on Career Day with Fifth Grader’s one of the first steps is to begin talking about career sooner than later in life.  Maybe career development could be part of a student’s curriculum beginning in elementary school.  Kids seem to have regular access to computers in schools.  Maybe a part of the curriculum could be to incorporate getting familiar with some of these career sites during computer class.  It would make it fun and educational for the youngsters.

Brown, D. (2012). Career Information, Career Counseling, and Career Development.  (10^th edition). New York: Pearson, Inc.