September Mentor Academy

ByTeamMates WebAdmin

The September Mentor Academy featured Ruth Lohmeyer, Julie Hippin and Angee Dostal. Each presenter shared ways you, as a mentor, can help your mentee create his or her own destiny through career exploration.

Watch the video from the September Mentor Academy.

Career Cruising

Julie Hippin, Assistant Curriculum Specialist for LPS Career and Technical Education, walked mentors through the Career Cruising website. This website is available to all LPS students as early as 6th grade which allows them to explore different career fields. When students are Juniors they utilize the Career Cruising website in their “Take Charge” class. “Career Cruising helps them recognize where they’re at in their journey and the steps they can and should be taking to get where they want to be. It helps them organize their thoughts and set goals.

Hippin pointed out that students today think differently about careers than their mentors might. “They think in terms of one step getting them to the next and that step getting them to the next. So when we talk career counseling and career readiness with students, we help them make the best decisions, we don’t help them try to decide ‘I’m going to do this for the rest of my life.'”

Career Cruising has many features that will help students as they start to think about their future, including information on:

  • Career Exploration
  • Military Careers
  • Education Exploration
  • College Planning Timeline
  • Financial Aid
  • Portfolio

Mentors are in a perfect position to support their mentees as they explore the opportunities available to them after high school. “Any time an adult shows an interest in a student and their future, it’s a win for that student. It helps that student articulate to an adult what they’re thinking and to get other ideas and resources that that adult might have access to. So it’s a win-win for the kid and for the adult to share their passion or what they’re good at.”

This Career Cruising Worksheet has questions you can ask your mentee to help them start thinking about their future career.

The Career Academy

Ruth Lohmeyer, Counselor at the Career Academy, highlighted how The Career Academy helps prepare students for life after high school. “The best way to help students is to help them figure out what they want to do after high school and that’s what The Career Academy does.”

Students who attend The Career Academy have a chance to apply what they are learning in the classroom to real-life experiences. The Career Academy partners with businesses throughout Lincoln so students have the opportunity to go on field trips or listen to guest speakers from business leaders in their career pathway. There are 12 different career pathways students can choose from, but in each pathway they focus on the importance of career-ready skills:

  • Attendance
  • Deadlines
  • Technology
  • Self-advocacy
  • Professionalism

Review this Pathways Handout to learn more about the pathways offered at The Career Academy.

Visit The Career Academy website to learn more about the pathways available and the enrollment process for students.

Career Shadowing

Angee Dostal, Mentor Support Specialist, shared with mentors an exciting opportunity that will be available for mentees and mentors during Spring Break. On Monday, March 12, 2018, TeamMates will have several different career shadowing opportunities in different career fields. Look for more information in the coming months.