On December 24, 2018, a number of new laws took effect around raising career awareness for Michigan Students:
- Schools must provide career development education at least once in elementary, middle school and high school.
- EDPs must be revised annually in grades 8-12. (They’ve been required of 7th graders since 2006.)
- Students must be afforded the opportunity to develop talent portfolios as part of the EDP process.
- Middle and High School students must have the opportunity to participate in a form of work-based learning and make connections with experts in a variety of fields.
- High School students must be provided with several specific pieces of information on various types of careers – including current and projected job opportunities and wage information.
- Students must be able to create a resume, request both a letter of recommendation and their academic record, and know how use a talent portfolio – all in 12th grade.
This one-day conference aims to shed light on Michigan’s new changes and inspire attendees to move beyond compliance toward a comprehensive career development program for all students.