Michigan standards and benchmarks have been developed for Career and Employability Skills to provide developmentally appropriate content for classroom instruction in various curricular areas, guidance activities, and school/community/workplace involvements. The standards and benchmarks incorporate career planning activities such as career awareness, career exploration, and the individual planning and guidance curriculum of the Michigan Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Program. They also include employers’ general workforce expectations as identified in the Michigan Employability Skills Task Force Report and the national Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) report.

The standards include the topics of applied academic skills, career planning, development and presentation of information, problem solving, personal management, organizational skills, teamwork, negotiation skills, understanding systems, and using employability skills. Career and Employability Skills may be taught in a variety of contexts within Career Pathways and must include work-related situations.

Career and Employability Skills Standard and Benchmarks

Standard
The participating education agency board of education or designee will have adopted a comprehensive, planned and sequential program based on the Career and Employability Skills Content Standards (MDE, 1998) or assure that a range of similar content is presented in the district’s K-12 curriculum and guidance program to help students move successfully into the world of work and/or continuing education.

Benchmarks
· The local board of education or designee has adopted a career and employability skills program that meets the state standard.

· Ensures that all students in elementary, middle and high schools are provided Career and Employability Skills instruction which includes the areas of applied academic skills, career planning, developing and presenting information, problem solving, personal management, organizational skills, teamwork, negotiation skills, understanding systems, and using employability skills as evidenced by curriculum guides and course descriptions.

· Ensures that students learn Career and Employability Skills in a career context as evidenced by teaching/learning strategies used.

· Ensures that all students preparing to leave high school understand how to develop and utilize such items as resumes, letters of reference, school records of attendance, portfolios, transcripts, and certifications for use in pursuing future education and career goals.

· Ensures that all high school students will be assessed using ACT Work Keys or another nationally recognized assessment approved by the Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth as evidenced by assessment records.