Career Center
The UHS Career Center is located in the rear of the Counseling
Center; it is open to students from 7am to 3pm. The Career Center
is full of guidance-related resources, including college view
books, DVDs and applications, as well as career, financial aid,
scholarship, testing, and military information. There are 4 computers
that may be used for college and career planning research.
Students
using the Career Center during a study hall may come directly
at the beginning of the class period. Students may also come from
a class with a teacher-signed pass.
CAREER
CENTER RESOURCES
Resources in the Career Center include:
4 Computers- Research on the Internet
College DVDs
College viewbooks
Community college information
Financial aid information- Grants, scholarships, loans, work-study
Job/Volunteer opportunities board
Map of colleges & universities in Pennsylvania
Military- Service Academies, ROTC, Enlistment
NCAA information- Interested in sports in college?
Reference library- Books listed under each section
Scholarship binder
Scholarship search materials
Summer enrichment opportunities
Trade school information- Culinary Arts, Cosmetology, Aeronautics,
Nursing Art, Music
Reference Library: Career Planning Books
(Books may be checked out overnight; see Ms. Vaughn.)
100 Best Careers for the 21st Century
Do What You Are
Liberal Arts Jobs
Vocational and Technical Schools- East
Occupational Outlook Handbook
Guide to Military Careers
Choices 2002-2004- A Guide to Pennsylvania's Postsecondary Schools
Peterson's Nursing Programs
Peterson's Degree Programs in the Visual & Performing Arts
ASVAB Test Prep Guide
Student Athlete's Guide to College
Career Opportunities in the Sports Industry
CAREER
ASSESSMENT
The
DISCOVER Program
What is Discover?
Discover is an Internet-based career guidance and information
system to help people make important career and educational decisions.
This program prepares individuals for college, community college,
vocational training, professional school, immediate employment,
and military.
How
to Access Discover
Go to the above website or the Counseling Center website to access
the Discover Program. You will need a User ID and Password. If
you do not have one, stop by the Career Center and Ms. Vaughn
will give you your ID and password. Students are able to access
this program on the computer from home or in the Career Center
during a study hall, before, or after school.
Inventories
There are three Inventories that a student must complete: Interest,
Ability, and Values. These inventories help determine what type
of career the student might want to pursue. The Discover Program
gives the student suggested career areas. Your interests and values
may change later in high school. It would be useful to take the
inventories again in your junior or senior year.
Career
Information
Click on the suggested career to get information on job duties,
salaries, job outlook, and type of training/education needed.
The Career Center also has materials that would be useful for
career exploration.
Education
Click on Schools to find out where to receive training/education
needed for the career you are interested in. To narrow down which
schools are right for you, please take advantage of search characteristics
to determine geographic location, size of school, sports, etc.
Click on the school that you are interested in and that will allow
you to view the school’s website.
CAREER
PLANNING
The EDUCATION PLANNER
Program
Choosing a career path doesn't come easy, especially at your age.
Whether you're heading straight into the workforce or you're entering
college first, the Career Key™ helps you get an early handle
on who you are, what you're interested in, and what kind of career
may be right for you.
Learn
more about the Holland Types
Your personality is directly related to finding a perfect career
match and success in the workplace. Learn more about the Holland
Types—Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising,
and Conventional.
Take
the Career Key™ Assessment
Answer a brief series of multiple-choice questions about yourself
to determine your Holland Type. Then, find out which job categories,
industries, and specific occupations are most suitable for you.
Career
Specific Websites
American Council for the Arts
National Career Development Homepage
Construction Industry
Environmental Careers
Federal Jobs
Floral Industry
Health Careers
Health Management
Careers
Hospitality Industry
Information Technology Careers:
A Guide To Critical Skills For Success In Tech Support
Information Technology Careers:
A Guide to Critical Skills for Success in Digital Media
Law Employment Center
Microbiology
Nonprofit Career Network
Physician’s Assistant
Public Relations
Real Estate Careers
Retail Jobs
Social Service Jobs
United States Army / Armed Services
Veterinarian /Veterinary Medicine
-PA School Counselor Association
Additional
Resources:
Occupational Outlook
Handbook
For hundreds of different types of jobs, the OOH tells you: the
training and education needed; earnings; expected job prospects;
what workers do on the job; working conditions. In addition, the
OOH gives you job search tips, links to information about the
job market in each State, and more.
(Career
Center Menu)
COLLEGE INFORMATION
Reference
Library: College Information
(Books may be checked out overnight; see Ms. Vaughn.)
America's
Best Value Colleges
ASVAB Test Prep Guide
Baron's Best Buy in College Education
Baron's Profiles of American Colleges Northeast
Baron's Profiles
Best 361 Colleges
Campus Visits and College Interviews
Choices 2002-2004- A Guide to Pennsylvania's Postsecondary Schools
College Planning for Dummies
Colleges That Change Lives
Complete Idiots Guide to College Planning, 1999, 2nd Ed.
Cool Colleges for the Hyper-Intelligent, Self-Directed, Late-Blooming,
and Just Plain Different
Fiske Guide to Colleges, 2006 32nd Ed.
Harvard Schmarvard
K&W Guide to Colleges for Students w/ Learning Disabilities
Looking Beyond the Ivy League
Peterson's 2-Year Colleges
Peterson's 4-Year Colleges
Peterson's Colleges w/ Programs for Students w/ Learning Disabilities
7th Ed.
Peterson's Competitive Colleges- Top Colleges for Top Students
Peterson's Degree Programs in the Visual & Performing Arts
Peterson's Honors Programs and Colleges
Peterson's Nursing Programs
Princeton Review Best 357 Colleges
Rugg's Recommendations on the Colleges
Smart Parents Guide to College
Student Athlete's Guide to College
Student's Guide to Colleges
Taking Time Off
The College Application Essay
The College Board Index of Majors & Graduate Degrees
The College Board Scholarship Handbook
The Fiske Guide to Colleges
The Gap Year
The Insider's Guide to the Colleges
The K & W Guide to Colleges for Students with Learning Disabilities
or Attention Deficit Disorder
The Official Catholic College & University Guidebook
The Princeton Review: The Best 345 Colleges
The Public Ivies
The Scholarship Book
US News Ultimate College Directory
Vocational and Technical Schools- East
Women’s Colleges
Reference
Library: College Planning Books
The College Board Index of Majors & Graduate Degrees
10 Real SAT's
Campus Visits and College Interviews
Cool Colleges for the Hyper-Intelligent, Self-Directed, Late-Blooming,
and Just Plain Different
Peterson's 2 Year Colleges
Peterson's 4 Year Colleges
Peterson's Competitive Colleges- Top Colleges for Top Students
Peterson's Honors Programs and Colleges
Rugg's Recommendations on the Colleges
Smart Parents Guide to College
The College Application Essay
The Fiske Guide to Colleges
The K & W Guide to Colleges for Students with Learning Disabilities
or Attention Deficit Disorder
The Official Catholic College & University Guidebook
The Princeton Review: The Best 345 Colleges
Various SAT preparation books
For Parents:
Doors Open from Both Sides, Woodacre and Bane
The Launching Year- Strategies for Parents from Senior Year to
College Life, Kastner and Wyatt
(Career
Center Menu)
LEADERSHIP
PROGRAMS
Hugh
O’Brian Youth Leadership Conference for Sophomore Students:
One sophomore ambassador
is selected to represent UHS at the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership
Conference, a 3-day leadership seminar. The HOBY mission is to
provide lifelong leadership development opportunities that empower
individuals to achieve their highest potential. The 3-day leadership
seminar motivates and prepares participants for leadership positions
in their schools and helps them expand the talents that will serve
them and their communities well in the future. The seminar gives
students the opportunity to meet, interact and question regionally,
nationally and internationally renowned leaders in business, government,
and education. To learn more about the great opportunities and
experiences offered by the HOBY organization.
Eligibility Requirements: All sophomores
are eligible to apply. The selection committee will choose one
student ambassador to represent our school based on leadership
ability, sensitivity to others, and desire to communicate your
knowledge to your peers. Please complete the following essay requirement,
which is part of the selection process. In 100-150 words, please
describe the most rewarding and challenging aspect of being a
leader in your community. Students are asked to apply and to write
an essay in early November.
Rotary
Youth Leadership Conference:
The UHS Counseling
Center nominates students for the Rotary Youth Leadership Conference
(RYLA Conference). This is a weekend-long, youth leadership-training
program for enthusiastic students who have energy and desire to
meet new people and discover their potential. The conference is
generally held in held February at the Freedoms Foundation in
Valley Forge Pennsylvania. Sophomore, juniors and seniors are
eligible to apply. Applications are available in the Counseling
Center and must be submitted by early December for consideration.
There are a limited number of spaces available, so don’t
miss this great opportunity!
Chester County Youth Leadership
Program:
The mission of the Chester County Chamber Foundation's Youth Leadership
Program is to create exceptional opportunities for all academic
and income level Chester County high school students to develop
leadership skills, learn about Chester County based career options
and paths, and to interact with leaders of major industries countywide.
We aim to use the business landscape of today to inspire a diverse
collection of leaders for the future. The long-term objective
is to endear them to this market place so that they want to stay
or return to Chester County to pursue their careers. Applications
are available online or from Ms Vaughn in the Career Center in
the spring, .
Eligibility Requirements: Student must
be a junior or senior. Students must have a minimum GPA of 3.0.
Students must be able to arrange transportation to and from Chamber
headquarters in Malvern on session days. Students must be able
to attend full-day events throughout the school year.
(Career
Center Menu)
INTERNSHIPS/JOBS/VOLUNTEER
Internships
We have had a small number of internships available to our students
from area companies, such as State Farm Insurance Company, Comverge
and Genesis Rehab Services. Students should see Ms. Vaughn for
more information.
Job
and Volunteer Opportunities are received in the Counseling
Center on a regular basis and posted on the Job Opportunities
Board. Please check the board for evening, weekend, or summer
jobs.
CAMPUS
VISITS, COLLEGE VISITS TO UHS &
COLLEGE FAIRS
COLLEGE
CAMPUS VISITS
Students are strongly encouraged to visit college campuses. It
is important to see if the fit is right. Information can be found
on nearly each college’s website. It is recommended that
you call and make an appointment if there is a formal presentation.
You may arrange to bring along an UNOFFICIAL high school transcript
by completing a Permission to Release Information form in the
Counseling Center. Visit http://www.collegeboard.com
for great information to help make your college visits more meaningful.
Most colleges
hold Open Houses in the fall. Please check the colleges’
web sites for dates and times.
AMTRAK
CAMPUS VISIT DISCOUNT COUPONS
Save 50% on student and parent/guardian.
COLLEGE VISITS TO UHS
We have over 100 college representatives visiting us each year
in the Counseling Center. We strongly encourage juniors and seniors
to attend these visits. Why? Before stepping onto campus, you
get the opportunity to hear about the flavor of an institution
from a school official. Many times the representative is the actual
person who reads UHS applications. A schedule of schools visiting
UHS will be posted on the Counseling Center website, outside of
the Counseling Center, on UHSeNews and in the Career Center. Students
must sign up for a pass at least one day before the visit.
COLLEGE
INFORMATION SESSIONS AT NEARBY LOCATIONS
Some colleges, especially ones located far from us, hold Information
Sessions at nearby locations, like hotels or convention centers.
COLLEGE FAIRS
College fairs give you the chance to talk to admissions officers
and get the scoop on everything, from what courses are offered
to life on campus. Fairs can also help you rule out colleges,
as well as introduce you to new ones.
·
The Delaware County Regional College Fair is held at the PSU-
Brandywine Campus in the fall.
· The Philadelphia National College Fair is held in the
PA Convention Center each fall.
· The Main Line Regional College Fair is scheduled for
every spring at Villanova University.
(Career
Center Menu)
MILITARY
OPTIONS
Military
Careers
For many
young people, the Armed Forces offer excellent training and education
as well as a job that can lead to a career. Remember that the
military is a way of life, not just a job. It requires a long-term
commitment. Enlisted personnel must sign a legal agreement called
an enlistment contract, which usually involves a commitment to
eight years of service. Depending on the contract, two to six
years are spent on active duty and the balance is spent in the
reserves.
Enlisting
in the military is a major step in a person's life. If you are
considering this option, discuss it with your family and your
guidance counselor. Speak with friends or relatives with military
experience. If possible, talk with someone close to your own age
who is in the service or has recently been discharged. Determine
what you hope to gain from the military and what the military
will expect of you. Do your homework then visit a recruiter who
can explain the various enlistment options and tell you which
military occupational specialties have openings. Make certain
that your military commitment is based on sound information and
realistic expectations.
In addition,
check out the military careers website at www.militarycareers.com.
It is an excellent career information resource for the world of
military work. It gives you details on occupations for officers
and enlisted personnel. This site describes training, advancement,
and educational opportunities within each of the major Services-
Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard. You can
search the site to get a list of military occupations that match
your interests, or you may browse the occupations by category.
In order
to enlist, you must be 18 (or 17 with your parent's permission)
and a U.S. citizen or legal immigrant holding permanent resident
status. A high school diploma is preferred for all recruits and
required for some training programs. Each branch of the Armed
Forces differs in specific programs, terms of duty, and enlistment
options. A recruiter will be able to provide you with details.
You may also want to ask about the delayed entry program options.
Persons who qualify for certain popular occupations are sometimes
chosen on a first-come, first-serve basis. By enlisting during
your senior year of high school and delaying entry until after
you graduate, you can be sure of getting the occupational training
you want.
In today’s
world, there are hundreds of occupations from which to choose,
and it’s important that you spend some time exploring the
options available to you. The United States Armed Forces is one
alternative you may want to consider. The U.S. Military has changed
dramatically over the past several decades. Today’s military
is more professional, more technologically advanced and offers
more benefits and rewards than ever before.
Maintaining
a strong national defense includes such diverse activities as
commanding a tank, running a hospital, repairing a helicopter
and programming a computer. The military provides full-time and
part-time training and work experience for more than 4,100 different
jobs, 88 percent of which have direct civilian counterparts.
In the
military, you can learn marketable job skills, make good friends
and develop a positive, winning attitude. The pay scale is competitive
with many starting salaries in the private sector, and many allowances
paid out by the military are tax-exempt. If a college education
is one of your priorities, tuition support programs are one of
the ways that the military can help you with the rising cost of
postsecondary education.
If you
want to go to college before joining the military, consider a
Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) program. These college-based,
officer-commissioning programs produce 60 percent of all officers
serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. If your high school has a Junior
ROTC program, it will teach you problem-solving, ethics and leadership
skills before you enlist.
Serving in the military is really what you choose to make of it.
It can simply be a means to an end – money for college or
technical training and the development of life skills –
or it can be a lifelong career path, giving you a structured environment,
a defined purpose and many opportunities to advance and grow.
Explore Web sites like www.myfuture.com and www.todaysmilitary.com
to learn more about military life and careers. Make certain your
military commitment is based on sound information and realistic
expectations. Do your homework so there won’t be any surprises.
For more information, contact your nearest recruiter (listed in
the phone book) or call one of the following toll free numbers:
(Career
Center Menu)
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