There are many courses you take in school, like math, science, English/language arts, and social studies that are important in many careers. When you begin to see the connection between what you are learning and what the workplace and college requirements are, then school will mean more to you.  There are many elective courses you may take in high school that will allow you to gain some technical skills for a career of your choice. Some high schools also have academies, ROP classes, and other technical programs which will further your interest.  When it comes to careers, change is inevitable. It is not unusual for adults to change their occupations seven or eight times during their working years. The key to good career planning is to be aware of all your options and to explore new opportunities as they arise and interest  you.

Career preparation may include the following:
Take the ASVAB in your junior year
Take an interest inventory in your guidance class
Take an interest inventory on the CHOICES program available at your school
Do a career search on eguidance (computer program)
Listen to guest speakers visiting your school
Participate in the job shadowing opportunities offered through your school
Apply for a summer job in a field that interests you
Serve as a volunteer
Write your first résumé
Talk to a counselor about careers
Read a book on career planning
Research various occupations in Job Choices, Occupational Outlook Handbook, or similar publications
Participate in school/local clubs and organizations
Take a leadership role in school/local clubs and organizations

According to surveys conducted by the National Associations of Colleges and Employers (NACE), the top ten personal characteristics employers seek include:
1. Communication skills
2. Work experience

3. Motivation/initiative
4. Teamwork skills
5. Leadership abilities

6. High GPA/academic skills

7. Technical skills

8. Interpersonal skills

9. Analytical skills

10. Ethics

According to employers, the top seven skills employers seek include:
1. Interpersonal
2. Teamwork
3. Verbal communication
4. Analytical
5. Computer

6. Written communication

7. Leadership

REGIONAL OCCUPATIONAL PROGRAM (ROP)
After School and on Weekends
Grades 11, 12 – Semester
Prerequisite: 16 years of age and counselor approval.
Classes qualify for Career Preparation credit
ROP offer students the opportunity to acquire entry-level job skills in practical on-the-job training programs. These classes are scheduled during out-of-school hours and at school and, training sites throughout the community. Job placement assistance is available upon successful completion of an ROP course. A complete list of courses offered, times, and locations is available in the Career Center.  A certificate of achievement, identifying each student’s job proficiencies, is given to students who have completed a class. These certificates are useful for applying for work and for admission to advanced training institutions. See the ROP Technician for details on starting dates, days, and time. Also check the web site at www.lacorop.org.  Some of these classes are now being offered in the Glendale area:
Animation Community Counselor Aide
Auto Specialization Computer Repair, Beginning
Banking Occupations Computer Repair, Advance
Banking Teleservices Cosmetology
Child Development Electronics Occupations
Commercial Art (Beginning & Advanced) Emergency Medical Technician
Commercial Photography Fire Service Occupation
Computer Applications First Responder
Web Site Design Graphic Arts
Macintosh Basics Hospital Occupations
Photoshop I/PageMaker Intro to Law
Photoshop II Intro to Law Enforcement
Desktop Publishing Medical Assistant
Intro to Computers Retail Marketing
Beginning MS Word Small Business Management
Intermediate MS Word Teaching Occupations
Excel TV Production/Media Arts (Fine Arts credit)
CISCO Water Safety & Life Guard

ROP COOPERATIVE VOCATIONAL EDUCATION (CVE)
Students 16 and older participate in a combination of work and study. Eligible students must be working in retail sales, food services, financial, or office occupations to take a CVE class.  Up to ten credits is offered each semester according to working hours and classroom instruction. CVE classes give career preparation credit toward graduation.  For more information and registration see the ROP Technician. Visit our web site:  www.lacorop.org.

WORKPLACE COMPETENCIES
The Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS), U.S. Department of Labor, issued its report on the competencies, skills, and personal qualities needed to succeed in the workplace.  The SCANS report challenged schools, parents, and businesses to help all students develop future workplace, SCANS identified five broad categories of competencies that would lead to
successful transition from school to work:
Resources: allocating time, money, materials, space, and staff; Inter-personal Skills: working on teams, teaching others, serving customers, leading, negotiating, and working well with people from culturally diverse backgrounds; Information: acquiring and evaluating data, organizing and maintaining files, interpreting and communicating, and using computers to process information; Systems: understanding social, organizational, and technological systems, monitoring and correcting, performance, and designing or improving systems; Technology: selecting equipment and tools, applying technology to specific tasks, and maintaining and troubleshooting technologies. 

 

Additional Resources for Exploring Careers
Choices (available in all labs on campus)
www.calmisca gov.@occ.handbook
www.usnews.com (careers & education)

CAREER ORIENTED PROGRAMS
Each high school in the Glendale Unified School District offers specialized course offerings that will help define a student's personal career choice.  Hoover High School offers the following:
Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA)
Health Careers Academy
Business Engineering and Technology Academy (BETA)
Police and Fire Academy

 

COLLEGE-CAREER CENTER
The College-Career Center is stocked with college/university catalogs throughout the United States that are always being updated (could also be found in library). A student can check out a catalog for studying and viewing at home. College videos may be available for students to take home and view with parents. There are also career books and reference books on colleges and scholarships. Several items are available free for the student, such as: College Outlook magazine, book covers, How to Pay for College handbooks, Student Guidebooks, Financial Aid explanations, and information on the Armed Services (also check your Counseling Office).  During September, October, and November local college representatives come on campus during lunch to meet with students regarding their plans for college. Some classrooms use the Center in order to learn how to use college catalogs, as well as to obtain information on a
future career and/or occupation. There are career videos, which are available for students to view.

Choices

The Career Center has computers that run the “Choices” program. This is an easy-to-use, comprehensive career exploration and information program. The databases of occupations, post-secondary schools, and financial aid award provide many choices for you. It also contains an interest checklist that helps students find careers that they may consider. Students have the option of connecting to college web pages or email from the information reports, and may save all information on a computer disk to later continue or update their searches.  The ROP Technician, located in the Center (or in the GHS annex), provides ROP information to students and the community, and enrolls students in classes.  The Center also provides scholarship information to the students.  Computers are available for students to access “Choices,” to take practice SAT tests, to write essays, and their résumés.  Students may sign up for job shadowing through the Career Center and find out about Career Explorer groups within their career interest areas.  Students may visit the Career Center during snack, lunch, or after school. 

 

WORK EXPERIENCE
Work Experience Education is a program that enables high school juniors and seniors to earn credits toward graduation for being employed. Students must work a minimum of ninety hours and be employed a minimum of twelve weeks during the semester. (Seniors can earn ten credits per semester if they work a minimum of one hundred eighty hours.) Students must attend a Work Experience class for one hour per week. Classroom instruction includes topics such as: how to get a job, how to leave a job, how to file for your tax refund, state and federal child labor laws, your rights as an employee, résumé, letters of application, and other subjects
related to the working future.