Career Development

CAREER ACADEMIC SEQUENCE	A career academic sequence is a flexible sequence of courses designed to help a student explore and prepare for a specific career area or group of related occupations. Career academic sequences are selected and defined by local school corporations and recommended for all students regardless of postsecondary intentions. A career academic sequence includes progressive exposure to the world of work, with some leading to a certificate recognized by business and industry. A career academic sequence is flexible. As a student progresses in a sequence and learns more about a specific career area, he/she may: 1. Remain in the same career pathway throughout high school; 2. Switch career pathways to explore an additional career area; or 3. Enroll in a multi-credit vocational/technical program designed to help students develop knowledge and skills related to a specific occupation. Many multi-credit vocational/technical programs offer both high school and postsecondary credit.
CAREER PATHWAY	A recommended sequence of academic and vocational/technical courses related to a career major that students use as a resource when developing their high school course plans.
FOUR-YEAR COURSE PLAN FOR HIGH SCHOOL	An individualized course plan for the four years of high school related to the student's career major.
CAREER PLAN	A combination of 1) potential occupations the student is considering, 2) the student’s career major, and 3) the supporting high school course plan. In Indiana, the flexible career plan is part of each student’s Guidance Portfolio that students begin in 8^th grade.
CAREER CLUSTER	A broad set of related occupations used when organizing career information, instruction, and student opportunities. Indiana defines fourteen career clusters. Example: Business & Management
CAREER ACADEMY	A learning community in which small groups of students with common teachers participate in integrated academic and vocational/technical courses related to a career major. Examples: Project Lead-the-Way (engineering); Finance Academy

Relationships of the above terms:

Using the above terms, the following statements apply:

Students declare a career major based on their career interests. They use recommended career pathways as a resource when designing their four-year course plans for high school. The career plan is described in the student's guidance portfolio.

Adults may organize career information and activities by career clusters. They may also create career academies as small learning communities related to specific career pathways.

Postsecondary Education Options

APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM	A relationship between an employer and employee during which the worker, or apprentice, learns an occupation in a structured program sponsored jointly by the employers and labor unions or operated by employers and employee associations.
COLLEGE	A postsecondary educational institution in which students can earn a bachelor degree.
COMMUNITY COLLEGE	In Indiana, a partnership between Ivy Tech State College and Vincennes University to bring accessible and affordable postsecondary education to regional campuses throughout the state (Community College of Indiana). Students may earn associate degrees and/or technical certificates. They may also complete the first two years of a bachelor degree program at the community college. For more information, go to: <http://www.ccindiana.net>.
MILITARY	Military programs provide vocational skill training that is transferable to a civilian occupation.
PROPRIETARY SCHOOL (also called Private Career School) Note: The Indiana Commission on Proprietary Education states, “Our mission is to not only maintain but improve the educational quality and vocational effectiveness of the private career schools.”	Privately owned, postsecondary vocational schools in which students study skills and knowledge related to success in a specific occupation. For more information, go to http://www.in.gov/cope/
ON-THE-JOB TRAINING	Training planned, organized, and conducted at the employee’s worksite to broaden the employee’s skills unique to the employee’s job and increase productivity.

Postsecondary Degree Options

PROFESSIONAL DEGREE
GRADUATE DEGREE
BACHELOR DEGREE
ASSOCIATE DEGREE
CERTIFICATE

High School Diplomas

INDIANA GENERAL DIPLOMA	A general diploma that is awarded when a student earns 40 credits and takes specified courses.
INDIANA CORE 40 DIPLOMA	A rigorous diploma that is awarded when a student earns 40 credits, takes specified courses, and earns a “C” average. Eligible students who graduate from an Indiana secondary school, having met prescribed Core 40 requirements and with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0/4.0, may qualify for a SSACI grant premium of 90 percent of demonstrated need for approved tuition and mandatory fees for postsecondary education¹⁷. For more information, go to: <http://doe.state.in.us/core40/welcome.html>.
INDIANA ACADEMIC HONORS DIPLOMA	The most rigorous Indiana diploma that is awarded when a student earns 47 credits, takes specified courses, and earns a “B” average without receiving any Ds. Eligible students who graduate from an Indiana secondary school with an Academic Honors Diploma and with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0/4.0 may qualify for a SSACI grant premium of 100 percent of demonstrated need for approved tuition and mandatory fees for postsecondary education¹⁷. For more information, go to: http://doe.state.in.us/publications/academichonors.html