Early High School Career Exploration
Starting early. Building confidence. Expanding possiblities.
At I Know I Can, we believe planning for life after high school shouldn’t wait until junior year, it starts from day one. That’s why we partner with Columbus City Schools to place dedicated Career Navigators in The Academies high schools, supporting 9th and 10th graders as they begin exploring who they are and what’s possible for their future.
Through a mix of classroom learning, hands-on experiences, and personalized support, students gain early exposure to careers and begin building a plan for what comes next.
How Career Navigators Support Students
Career Navigators work alongside students throughout 9th and 10th grade to connect school to the real world and help students see the purpose behind what they’re learning.
Freshman Seminars
Career Navigators partner with teachers to implement curriculum focused on college and career readiness. Students build a strong foundation for high school success, explore postsecondary options, and begin thinking more intentionally about their next steps in a structured, supportive environment.
Individualized Advising
Every student’s path is different. Career Navigators provide support to help students identify their strengths, interests, and goals—and connect those to real opportunities.
As students begin narrowing their interests, Career Navigators ensure they have the guidance and exposure needed to make thoughtful, confident choices.
Career Exploration Tools
Students use tools like YouScience and virtual reality simulations to explore careers in a hands-on, meaningful way. Through YouScience, they discover their natural strengths and how those connect to real careers.
Career Navigators help students make sense of their results, identifying where interests and aptitudes align and introducing new possibilities. This helps students take the next step with greater clarity and direction.
Career Exposure Opportunities
Career exploration doesn’t stop in the classroom. Career Navigators coordinate experiences that bring career exploration to life, including:
- College visits
- Workplace tours
- Future You Days
- Hands-on learning opportunities
These experiences help students connect their interests to real-world pathways and possibilities.
Student Success Plans
Throughout 9th and 10th grade, students work with a Career Navigator to create an Individualized Student Success Plan (SSP).
This plan helps students:
- Understand their strengths and interests
- Explore career pathways
- Set academic and personal goals
- Begin mapping out life after high school
By starting early, students are better prepared to make informed decisions about courses, pathways, and postsecondary options.
A Seamless Pathway of Support
After 10th grade, students transition from working with a Career Navigator to partnering with an I Know I Can College Advising Manager in 11th and 12th grade.
This creates a seamless system of support, from early exploration to postsecondary decision-making, so students are never navigating these milestones alone.
By starting early, students are better prepared to make informed decisions about courses, pathways, and postsecondary options.
“Columbus City Schools joins pilot program to help students find career paths”
ABC 6 On Your Side recently featured our exciting new initiative, which is helping students uncover career paths aligned with their skills and interests.