The Value of Career Decisions

More than five times as many people enter careers by chance than through the assistance of career professionals. This results in a high degree of occupational mismatch, job dissatisfaction, job-related stress and depression (estimated to cost employers $44 billion annually). About 14 million workers need career assistance annually, and about one in six workers will change jobs this year. People who make informed and considered career decisions reduce the likelihood of mismatch and increase the likelihood of “fit,” which is characterized by increased job satisfaction.

Informed and considered career decisions are associated with higher levels of income and lower levels and shorter durations of unemployment. The premium on a baccalaureate degree is approximately $17,000 per year in annual earnings compared to the earnings of high school graduates.

Unemployment is a direct inverse function of level of education. A college graduate is nearly half as likely to be unemployed as a high school graduate and is likely to be unemployed for a shorter duration of time.
According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, U.S. investments in upper secondary and postsecondary education result in a return between 10 and 14 percent for both men and women.

Investing in Career Information and Services

Given the urgent need for tools, resources, and processes that lead to informed and considered career decisions, investment in career information and the processes that lead to informed and considered career decisions should be among the first investments in national economic security and social well-being. Not only is the return on investment great, the cost to taxpayers is relatively small.

The principal federal investment in career information and services is through the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998 Reauthorization (P.L. 105-332). The total annual outlay is less than ten million dollars. This money serves 142 million workers and 60 million students in K-16 and represents an annual investment of about 5 cents per person.

• Investment in career information and services is needed at a level to ensure that all students
  • Participate in education with a sense of its importance and relevance to future well-being,
  • Formulate a flexible education and career plan prior to commencing high school,
  • Have access to high quality career information and receive career guidance services in the context of a comprehensive school guidance program,
  • Participate in a career development program that encourages students to engage in academic rigor and postsecondary education and training, and
  • Learn the skills associated with career self-management that can be applied to career transition throughout one’s life.
• Such investment would ensure that all workers
  • Have the skills to cope with changing employers, occupations, and skill demands,
  • Have confidence in their ability to advance and develop their careers,
  • Understand the importance of fit between an individual and the person’s work and work environment, and
  • Have access to high quality career information and the services of career professionals who can assist with

The Educational, Social, and Economic Value of Informed and Considered Career Decisions

As policymakers deliberate and formulate policies that affect career information and services, America’s Career Resource Network Association (ACRNA) urges consideration of the extensive body of evidence of the educational, social and economic value of career information and services that foster informed and considered career decisions.

Scott Gillie and Meegan Gillie Isenhour have prepared the following fact sheet, paper and Power Point Presentation about “The Educational, Social, and Economic Value of Informed and Considered Career Decisions”. This is excellent material! (ed.)

1. Fact sheet ....:(3 pgs) ......: http://inpathways.net/_acrna/factsheet.pdf
2. Paper ..........: (27 pgs).... : http://inpathways.net/_acrna/iccd-sub1.pdf
3. Web pages .. :(42 slides). : http://inpathways.net/_acrna/iccd.htm
4. PowerPoint . : (large file). : http://inpathways.net/_acrna/iccd.ppt

Forums ("Virtual conference rooms" where you can discuss this issue.

Perkins-118 forum

A forum has been created to discuss the Perkins Act in general, and Section 118 specifically.

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More (much more ...) information

There are MANY Web pages that talk about Perkins. If you click this search argument ("Carl D. Perkins" +appropriation) you will find over 2,300 hits as of 3/10/2004.

Modify the search argument by adding things like "+2004" to see all pages that may be current for this year; or "+2004 +ACSCI" to see pages for this year that also talk about ACSCI. (Change ACSCI to either ACRNA, ARCA, ACTE, NECA, [NCDA Conference sponsors] and NCDA to focus results on those organizations.