The Regional Career Specialist provides leadership and services to districts and schools by supporting grade-level, standards-based curricula through the integration of academic, career and technical instruction for students in grades seven through 12.
2021 Fall Regional School Counseling and Career Guidance Workshops
Earn CEUs, network with colleagues, and learn about SC Department of Education updates.
Workshops are 9:00 am - 1:00 pm.
Face to Face and Live Broadcast options are available. Register below
Registration Link:
October 14
Columbia International University
Registration Deadline: October 11
Registration Link:
October 15
Spartanburg Community College
Registration Deadline: October 11
Registration Link:
November 17
Colleton County High School
Registration Deadline: November 12
CTE and Career Training Program Videos
These videos highlight different programs and careers from around the Region to provide students a look into some of their many educational options. If you have a video you would like featured here, please contact Jean Rickenbaker.
Career and Technical Education
Find out what it's all about.
Welding
A look at the Welding program at Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College.
Machine Tool Technology
A look at the Machine Tool Technology program at Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College.
Mechatronics
A look at the Mechatronics Technology program at Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College.
Industrial Electronics
A look at the Industrial Electronics Technology program at Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College.
Resources
Counselor Resources
Career Cluster Information:
Helpful Resources:
- CTE Support Website
- Practical Guidance for Aligning Career Pathways to Labor Market Data in the Time of COVID-19 | Advance CTE (careertech.org)
- OCTE Contact Information
- SC Virtual Career Guidance WBL Toolkit
- Career Center Counselor Best Practices (from the SC Dept. of Education)
View “How to Pull IGP Reports”
Individual Graduation Plans for all students in grades 8-12 should be Locked and Primary on Friday, May 27, 2022 - SC CLNA Improvement Phase Toolkit September Update
- Perkins V CLNA Resources and Updates July 2021
- National Suicide Prevention Toolkit
- I'M A CAREER SPECIALIST...Now what do I do
Career Specialist Annual Report:
Period One Report (Aug-Dec 2021) is due Friday, January 21, 2022
Period Two Report (Jan-May 2020) is due Friday, May 27, 2022
Information to include in your report can be found at this link: CSAR Template - Activity Coding System Manual 2021-22
- Diploma Pathways Seals of Distinction - August 2021
- Seals of Distinction Template - August 20 2021
- How to Enter Diploma Pathways Seals of Distinction in PS
Training for counselors is provided in the Lower Savannah Region in the following areas:
Career Development for Students
- SCOIS – This website is a trusted source for Career and Post-Secondary exploration and interests. The SCOIS career skills inventory allows students to connect their interests to a Career Cluster occupation. Students can design a resume and access MicroCareerBurst Job Shadowing. (If you do not have a password, please call the SCOIS office at 1-800-264-9038) SCOIS Admin 2020 MCB updates
- Focus2 – This website assists students to connect their interests with college majors and career opportunities. Students can also design a resume.
- TALLO – This website provides career advice and networking for students. Students may be matched with jobs, scholarships and internship opportunities.
- Career Builder – This website provides another option for students to build a resume and explore careers.
- Resume Builder – This website provides resume tips as students build an online resume.
- O*Net – This is a counselor focused tool for career exploration and job analysis. It has detailed descriptions of the world of work for the use of job seekers, workforce development, HR professionals, and student researchers.
- Jobs Made Real – By Teens for Teens: Discover Your Career Path
- CareerOneStop – This site includes the Career Exploration Toolkit, career self assessments, occupation profiles, skills matchers, and career videos.
- At-Home Learning – This is resource Is updated weekly with K5-6 grade and 7th grade -12 grade. It is comprised of resources from SCETV to assist students with their subjects at home. There is a wealth of information on SCETV for parents, students, counselors, and teachers to utilize.
- SC Works
- Roadtrip Nation
- I Defy
- CA Career Zone
- Today’s Military – There are hundreds of ways to make a living in the Military, and many of these careers provide the training and experience needed for a rewarding second career in the private sector.
- NASA Quest – Women of NASA -This site was developed to encourage, more young women to pursue career in math, science, and technology.
- Career Videos – Career Videos by Dr. Kit who is a Psychology Professor at Bishop State Community College in Mobile, Alabama. He developed Dr. Kit website 3 years ago and he works on it in his spare time. He won the website at a conference and this is what he decided to make out of it. He has been teaching Psychology for approximately 30 years.
To request a Resume Workshop or Mock Interviews, contact Jean Rickenbaker at rickenbakerjh@octech.edu.
Labor Market Trends
- SCOIS – South Carolina Occupational Information System-This system has a three-part system, which includes an elementary/middle, high school, and Post-Secondary exploration. It has a wealth of up-to-date information for counselors, students, and teachers to utilize.
- O*Net – A great tool for career exploration and job analysis. It has detailed descriptions of the world of work for the use of job seekers, workforce development, HR professionals, and student researchers. You can also browse information/job codes in the military to find what the equivalent job would be in civilian life.
- Bureau of Labor and Statistics explains about wages by the area that one lives in, occupation, data, tools, career outlook, employment projection, pay, and benefits.
- SC Department of Employment and Workforce Development – This is the Employment Security Commission where they have upgraded their system drastically and made everything electronic. You can file for unemployment benefits, look for a job, tax information, input your information for looking for a job, etc.
- SC Department of Commerce – They recruit domestic and international business to South Carolina throughout the year due to our friendly atmosphere, the climate, location between New York and Miami, the beauty of our state, the universities and colleges, our infrastructures, and overall general appearance of the State of SC.
- US Department of Labor-To foster, promote, and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers, and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.
- Career One Stop
- Occupational Outlook Handbook – Occupational Outlook Handbook-Published by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the Occupational Outlook Handbook is a nationally recognized source of career information, designed to provide valuable assistance to individuals making decisions about their future work lives.
Job Search Sources
Career Services
RESUME WORKSHOPS AND MOCK INTERVIEWS
We can provide a customized Workshop upon request.
CAREER FAIRS
- Provide contacts for a successful Career Fair
- Relay tips for a successful Career Fair
- Assist in planning for a Virtual Career Fair
Here is a great example of a successful Virtual Career Fair: Wade Hampton High School’s (Greenville SC) VIRTURAL CAREER FAIR
FIELD TRIPS AND INDUSTRY TOURS
- Provide contacts for scheduling tours for classes or groups.
Work-Based Learning Opportunities
- SC Work-Based Learning Updates (PowerPoint)
- Know It All
- MicroCareerBurst-Online Job Shadowing
- My Next Move
- Job Shadowing Month Resources
- Skills USA
- Youth Apprenticeships
- Virtual Summer Youth Internship (Example)
- Virtual Job Shadowing
DID YOU KNOW? OCtech has placed students in Mechatronics, Machine Tool and Welding apprenticeships.
Scholarship Information
STEM Resources
- SC Codes – free online coding courses
- SCBIO K-12 Workforce Initiative – The SCBIO Foundation is committed to inspiring, developing, and cultivating the next generation of life sciences workforce. We partner with SCBIO investors to bring career-based learning into the classroom for students and teachers.
- Teen Science Cafe – Teen Science Café out-of-school programs are a free, fun way for teens to explore the big advances in science and technology affecting their lives. Teens and STEM experts engage in lively conversations and activities to explore a topic deeply.
- Learning Blade – Complete toolbox of online lessons, projects, and activities designed to grab your students attention while introducing them to the careers, tools and technologies found throughout the STEM fields.
- The South Carolina Aquarium Teen Science Café out-of-school programs are a free, fun way for teens to engage in lively, educational conversations with STEM experts. For teens ages 13-17 via Zoom.
- Career Videos – Career Videos by Dr. Kit who is a Psychology Professor at Bishop State Community College in Mobile, Alabama. He developed Dr. Kit website 3 years ago and he works on it in his spare time. He won the website at a conference and this is what he decided to make out of it. He has been teaching Psychology for approximately 30 years.
At-Home Learning
- EVERFI – Digital Lessons for Life Skills such as Social-Emotional Learning, Health & Wellness, Financial Capability, & Career Readiness.
- PBS Kids – Activities, e-learning books, games, and apps such as Play and Learn Engineering, The Cat In the Hat Invents, Molly of Denali, Ready, Jet Go! Spa Scouts, Sid’s Science Fair, Jet’s Bot Builder, Splash & Bubbles for Parents, The Cat In the Hat Builds That!, Play and Learn Science. They also feature Prankster Planet, PBS Parents Play and Learn, Super Why! Power to Read, and many more exciting apps and games to learn and choose from.
Volunteer Experience
Junior Achievement of SC – Junior Achievement USA provides several ways that you can get involved whether you’re someone looking to volunteer, part of a district or school looking for educational materials, or part of a business looking to help us expand the reach of our mission. Junior Achievement USA is providing free online resources to teachers and parents. We are doing this so our kids can spend more time planning for and dreaming about tomorrow, and less time worrying about today. We are committed to doing this until we can all be certain again.
