1. (a) General requirements. This course is recommended for students in Grades 7 and 8.

2. (b) Introduction.

   1. (1) Career and technical education instruction provides content aligned with challenging academic standards and relevant technical knowledge and skills for students to further their education and succeed in current or emerging professions.
   2. (2) Career development is a lifelong pursuit of answers to the questions: Who am I? Why am I here? What am I meant to do with my life? It is vital that students have a clear sense of direction for their career choice. Career planning is a critical step and is essential to success.
   3. (3) The goal of this course is to create a foundation for success in high school, future studies, and careers such as Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics; Business and Industry; Public Service; Arts and Humanities; and Multidisciplinary Studies. The students research labor market information, learn job-seeking skills, and create documents required for employment.
   4. (4) Students are encouraged to participate in extended learning experiences such as career and technical student organizations and other leadership or extracurricular organizations.
   5. (5) Statements that contain the word "including" reference content that must be mastered, while those containing the phrase "such as" are intended as possible illustrative examples.

3. (c) Knowledge and skills.

   1. (1) The student investigates one or more careers within the 16 career clusters. The student is expected to:

      1. (A) identify the various career opportunities within one or more career clusters; and
      2. (B) identify the pathways within one or more career clusters.

   2. (2) The student investigates career pathways in one or more of the 16 career clusters. The student is expected to:

      1. (A) research the academic requirements for one or more of the careers in an identified cluster;
      2. (B) research the certification or educational requirements for careers; and
      3. (C) describe the technical-skill requirements for careers.

   3. (3) The student investigates the professional skills needed for college and career success. The student is expected to:

      1. (A) apply core academic skills to meet personal, academic, and career goals;
      2. (B) investigate the importance of co-curricular, extracurricular, career preparation, and extended learning experiences;
      3. (C) investigate the steps required to participate in a variety of career and educational opportunities, including, but not limited to, entry-level employment, military service, apprenticeships, community and technical colleges, and universities;
      4. (D) identify professional associations affiliated with a career pathway;
      5. (E) recognize the value of community service and volunteerism; and
      6. (F) demonstrate characteristics required for personal and professional success such as work ethics, integrity, dedication, perseverance, and interacting with diverse populations.

   4. (4) The student investigates labor market information. The student is expected to:

      1. (A) analyze national, state, regional, and local labor market information;
      2. (B) classify evidence of high-skill, high-wage, or high-demand occupations based on analysis of labor market information; and
      3. (C) analyze the effects of changing employment trends, societal needs, and economic conditions on career planning.

   5. (5) The student investigates job-seeking skills. The student is expected to:

      1. (A) identify the steps for an effective job search;
      2. (B) describe appropriate appearance for an interview; and
      3. (C) participate in a mock interview.

   6. (6) The student creates professional documents required for employment. The student is expected to:

      1. (A) develop a resume;
      2. (B) write appropriate business correspondence such as a letter of intent and a thank you letter;
      3. (C) complete sample job applications; and
      4. (D) explain protocol for selecting and using references.

Source Note:The provisions of this §127.2 adopted to be effective August 28, 2017, 40 TexReg 6588.