TCC Career Explorers: Laying the foundation for career success—one student at a time
Story by Kim McGinnis. Photos courtesy of CBSM and TCC.
In fall 2021, ten high school juniors and seniors donned virtual reality headsets in a classroom at Effie Kokrine Charter School. While there was plenty of laughter, students weren’t playing games. They were participating in virtual career shadowing, experiencing a day in the life of one of several professions, such as nurse or auto mechanic.
The Tanana Chiefs Conference Career Explorers program, a partnership between TCC, Effie Kokrine Charter School, and the University of Alaska Fairbanks College of Business and Security Management, launched in September 2021 with the aim of preparing participants for post-secondary education or vocational training beyond high school. TCC Career Explorers students enrolled in a series of one-credit college-level professional development courses covering skills such as resume writing, time management and interviewing. These courses also offer students hands-on experiences to explore the age-old question, what do I want to do when I grow up?
While the program’s emphasis is on preparing for professional or collegiate success, students reported some of the most valuable take-aways were the practical lessons—from personal finance basics and communication—needed to function as an independent adult. "This program helped me tremendously to prepare for the adult world after high school," stated participant Cody Eickholt, a senior at Effie Kokrine.
Career Explorers builds on research about what works well for students, especially in light of the barriers to learning that have emerged during the pandemic. Covid-19 has stretched educators thin and posed increased mental health challenges for students, resulting in documented learning loss. The pandemic-related decrease in access to educational opportunities was particularly bleak for rural students and students of color. These findings were not lost on the team at Effie Kokrine, whose charter includes specifically supporting Alaska Native student success, and TCC, which supports 42 Alaska Native communities in the Interior of Alaska.
Career Explorers students were kept in a cohort, taking classes together. Students in cohort programs tend to report greater academic achievement, less feelings of social isolation and greater individual satisfaction with their learning experience. Students were also matched with a mentor in a career field of interest, with whom they met one-on-one. Technology like virtual reality headsets were used, since some in-person experiences such as job shadowing weren’t available during the pandemic.
The program has also adapted to meet student needs. While originally designed as online courses, the professional development courses transitioned into a hybrid format to offer greater opportunities for support and interaction. UAF instructors Amanda Langhorst and Jillian Bjornstad led weekly in-person sessions at Effie Kokrine. "The most fun part of this program was getting connected with my teachers and meeting new people," Effie Kokrine student Isabelle Jagels commented.
The original Career Explorers cohort will continue through spring 2022. Career Explorers is currently planned to extend for a second year at Effie Kokrine. Future plans for the program include expanding to additional partner schools outside of the Fairbanks area and incorporating additional content and expertise from other parts of UAF.
“I’m looking forward to working on expanding this program into rural Alaska,” stated instructor Jillian Bjornstad. “Coming from a small village, I was in these students’ shoes a few years ago and I understand some of the challenges they face. I enjoy working with high schoolers of different backgrounds to help them explore their education and career options, whether it is a four-year degree or vocational training.”
