JFF Tools and Resources
This two-page resource gives a comprehensive overview of Counseling to Careers (CTC). CTC provides community colleges, programs, and schools with the tools to better connect students with programs of study that align with their interests and regional employment needs.
The Best Bet Profile is a sample product of the Counseling to Careers training. As a result of the training, counselors/student support staff will develop a profile that integrates labor market data, in-depth postsecondary program information, and employer needs to enable students to make informed choices about their postsecondary and career path.
As part of the Counseling to Careers process, the Employer Interview Guide is essential to interview and collect data on regional employers to confirm labor market information and get a better understanding of the most sought after technical and professional skills in employees. This ready-to-use guide provides an exhaustive list of questions, as well as sample phone scripts and emails to help counselors, program leads, students and others to reach out to employers and learn more about career opportunities as well as entry requirements for technical careers.
This comprehensive guide, part of JFF's Counseling to Careers training, provides key information on how to access and use labor market data and occupational information for your region. Understanding this data is especially important for student support staff and counselors who help students choose career pathways and associated postsecondary programs.
Additional Tools and Resources
In this report, the Center on Education and the Workforce analyze earnings by field of study, sex, race/ethnicity, and program length. One of the most important factors that affects earnings is whether certificate holders work in the same occupational field they studied in.
This working paper by the Community College Research Center (CCRC) shows that student who do not enter a program within a year of enrollment are far less likely to ever enter a program and therefore less likely to earn a credential.
This website provides practical advice and lessons learned by high school seniors and college students who have made it to college. Find student-produced personal stories and tips, along with planning checklists they have helped create. For college advisors, there’s a special section with resources.