Developmentally Appropriate Career Guidance: Building Concepts to Last a Lifetime

Many young children have very limited knowledge about the world of work. Yet, because work-readiness concepts and competencies are built over time, career decisions made by young adults have their roots in early childhood. Developmentally appropriate career guidance considers not only the age of each child but also his or her talents, needs, and cultural antecedents. Objectives for working with young children include increasing children's occupational awareness and exploration, enhancing their knowledge of self and others, and continuing their development of academic and work-related competencies. By infusing work-readiness activities throughout the curriculum, teachers can help children to build strong concepts that support the decisions they must make a decade or more in the future.