Students Struggling with Career Choices? Consider an ILP in Your School!

As a future school counselor, career development is going to be a major component of my job. Many students struggle with this decision-making process, so it is important that educators find innovative new ways to help students navigate through this anxiety-inducing time. Dr. Solberg of Boston University first introduced me to Individualized Learning Plans, which I think can make all the difference!

An ILP is a portfolio used to help students through the process of self-understanding and career exploration. Historically, the model for career development in high schools centers on the concept of “decision” making. ILPs, in contrast, focus on exploration and discovery, which lead to more favorable outcomes (Solberg et al., 2012). It is usually a web-based portfolio of a student’s academic record, activities, skills, hobbies, interests, and a record of college and career exploration. This one-stop portfolio gives a student an integrated sense of where they are and where they want to be in the future. Here are five reasons to consider implementing an ILP program in your school!

#1: Increased Motivation in Students

Research shows that when students have access to self-exploration opportunities and are allowed to choose goals that align with their interests, they have a higher motivation to attend school, study, and to take more challenging coursework to achieve those goals (Solberg et al., 2012).

#2: Increased Academic Performance

ILPs help students understand the relevance of education to their future goals. Studies have shown that when students engage in the ILP process, their GPA and academic self-efficacy increase (Solberg et al., 2012).

#3: Increased Career Readiness

By defining their interests and goals, students show an increased interest in developing their career readiness. Students are more likely to engage in work-based learning programs that align with their goals, and therefore are exposed to the professional workforce and build new skills to help them post-graduation.

#4: Cohesive School Community

An ILP should be implemented in classrooms and after-school activities in addition to the guidance office. When teachers, coaches, and aids are also involved in ILPs, the results are clear: there is a more cohesive school community focused on student-defined goals. Students are able to connect what happens in gym class to what is happening in mathematics, and in turn, how they can connect that to their career exploration (Solberg et al., 2012).

#5: Increased Parental Involvement in Children’s Futures

Research on ILPs shows an increased parental involvement in career exploration process. Many of the web-based programs offer parental portals to provide activities and conversations the parent can implement at home. Over 90% of families indicated they were actively involved in the ILP process (Solberg et al. 2012).

So do you want to see increased student motivation, academic performance, and career readiness? Do you want your school to feel more like a cohesive community? Do you want to see parents more involved in their student’s education? Talk to your fellow faculty members about implementing an ILP in your school! Click here for more information.

Reference

Solberg, S.V., Phelps, L. A., Haakenson, K.A., Durham, J.F., & Timmons, J. (2012). The nature and use of individualized learning plans as a promising career intervention strategy. Journal of Career Development, 39(6), 500-514.