Education and Career Planning - Lambton Kent District School Board

Who do I want to become?

Students are encouraged to take advantage of all the opportunities, in and out of the classroom, that provide them the ability to learn more about who they want to become. This comes in the form of both personal growth and professional futures. Teachers help students learn how to identify the demands, rewards, and other features of the opportunities that are explored in the classroom. They work with students, teaching reflection skills so students can reflect on the fit between the opportunities and their personal characteristics.

Elementary and Secondary guidance counselors work hard to provide learning and connection opportunities to students in a variety of areas. The reflections that occur based on the connections made help students to us a decision-making process to determine personal and interpersonal goals as well as education and career/life goals.

Students are encouraged to use myBlueprint as the tool to record, monitor and adjust these goals throughout their Grade 7-12 education.

Students are able to continuing using myBlueprint once they graduate from secondary school simply by adding in an alternative email address that will be used once their LKDSB login expires. Students are prompted to add this email address in Grade 12.

Who am I?

We work to provide many opportunities to students that allow them to learn more about "Who Am I?". It is important for students of all ages to understand the characteristics that describe who they are. Some of these important characteristics include; interests, strengths, accomplishments, values and skills. As students become more aware of these characteristics, teachers help them learn strategies to reflect on how these characteristics influence their thoughts and actions, and how these thoughts and actions may affect their development as learners.

Our teachers work to embed these learnings into the various curriculum areas that they cover. Students can learn more about who they are as a learner at any point in their education, Kindergarten to Grade 12, and beyond.

As part of the Grade 7-12 Pathways program, students actively engage in the myBlueprint program, where they can complete surveys and activities to learn more about their personalities, career interests and skills that will connect to potential career and education pathways.

Parents are encouraged to engage in these types of conversations at home as well. Sample questions to help you foster a reflective mindset at home include:

What new thing did you learn at school today? How did you learn it?
What struggles did you have today and how did you overcome them?
What skill are you working to improve right now?
Did you make any "good choices" today? Tell me about it.
Tell me about a success you had today.
Tell me about something you are proud of today.
Teach me something you learned today.

Learn more about the myBlueprint program and creating a parent account.

What is my plan for achieving my goals?

As students participate in Experiential, Education and Career/Life planning, we encourage them to be reflective in nature. This means learning how to set, track and revise goals. Many of the experiences and opportunities provided to our students have this process built into the lessons and tasks.

With respect to Education and Career/Life Planning, we encourage students to use myBlueprint to complete their smart goals.

We encourage students and parents to use these goal setting methods outside of the school environment as well.

“If you don't know where you are going, you will end up someplace else” -Yogi Berra

What are my opportunities?

We support students as they explore opportunities made available to them. These opportunities can take many forms.

Within our classrooms, teachers take advantage of digital and hands on learning experiences that help connect the content the students are learning to the real world. These experiences can include opportunities such as guest speakers, field trips and digital explorations.

At the secondary level, students have the chance to take part in field trips, experiences and information sessions outside of class time that can link to their career exploration. Schools regularly get invited to engage with community partners for learning extensions. Samples of this can include connections to government, local industry, and community organizations tasked with sharing career and life exploration opportunities. Topics range from social justice, health and wellness, skilled trades and more. Students and parents are encouraged to check the school websites, message boards or paper communications sent home by the school for more information. In many schools, student services is the best place to go to learn about upcoming events and activities.

When it comes to special programming, we have many that allow students in secondary to dial into and explore a career sector while still in high school. Learn more about Experiential Learning in Secondary Schools.

At a community level there are many local organizations that engage students. Engaging in learning outside of the school environment is a great way to explore what opportunities exist in your home community. Watch for information from community agencies, service clubs in your local papers, newsfeeds and social media to find ways to get involved. All students must complete community hours as a graduation requirement, but there is no stopping students from going above and beyond these requirements, in fact, that can help them expand their understanding of their community and themselves. Learn more about the requirements for community hours and information about local opportunities.

When it comes specifically to career and post-secondary exploration, we encourage all students in Grades 7-12 to use their myBlueprint account. Instructions for myBlueprint use can be found here.