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Preparing for Career Development

Career exploration is the process of researching, evaluating, and learning about modern work opportunities and how students can pursue the careers of their choice. Students are typically coached and supported through a series of steps involving Research, Evaluation, Discussion and Decision Making.

It is important that students individualized their career exploration journey. Quality time should be spent examining each step in their process to ensure their decisions remain aligned with their values and goals, utilize their strengths, and achieve employment satisfaction that enriches their lives. This satisfaction extends across areas such as sustainment and viability of their profession, salary and benefits the life of their career and transferability of acquired skills from one position or organization to another.

How can students prepare now for career development?

Planning for a successful career begins with an open conversation. Students are encouraged to speak with family members, educators, and trusted adults about their interests and goals related to employment and independent living. USoar supports having such conversations early and often.

Students and their families are advised to discuss the time commitments, location, financial obligations, and outcomes associated with post-secondary education programs to ensure they are a good fit with their personal and professional goals.

  • Planning and Time Management
    • Start using digital and physical planners to organize what needs to be done each week, when things are being done, and other important appointments or events
    • Practice setting alarms and reminders. Instead of relying on parents or guardians to wake up in the morning, practice setting your own alarms to wake up independently
    • Practice checking emails at least 1-2 times every day
  • Study Skills and Taking Notes
    • Practice developing study skills and strategies
    • Write notes on important information during class
    • Complete all readings and review materials before class
    • Organize all your notes to make them easy to find
    • Practice breaking down large or difficult assignments or projects into smaller, more manageable parts
  • Stress Management
    • Find things that you enjoy doing
    • Practice communicating when things become too overwhelming
    • Practice making time to relax and do something to take care of yourself
    • Practice taking breaks to re-energize and refresh
  • Laundry
    • Wash and dry laundry without assistance of others
    • Fold and put away your own laundry
  • Cooking
    • Learn some easy-to-prepare recipes to make your own meals
    • Know how to use ovens and stoves
    • Practice food safety (expiration dates, how to store common foods, etc.)
  • Cleaning
    • Keep your personal living space clean!
    • Take out the trash, clean any messes you notice or create, keep your room and working space tidy, do laundry, wash dishes
  • Exercise/Sleep
    • Practice going for walks/runs while tracking your progress
    • Join a club or sport that you enjoy
    • Setting alarms and reminders to wind down each night without depending on electronics
    • Practice appropriate/healthy digital use
  • Florida Postsecondary Comprehensive Transition Program Act
    • Designates scholarships for eligible students to attend an approved Florida Postsecondary Comprehensive Transition Program (FPCTP)
    • Approved FPCTP programs are eligible to receive grant funding on 3 and 5 year grant award rotations
    • To learn more about the FPCTP Act, please see
  • Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
    • Colleges required to make programs accessible to students with disabilities
    • Public colleges required to be made accessible to students with disabilities
    • Colleges required to provide reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities
    • To learn more about the Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, please see
  • ADA
    • ADA prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities
    • Expanded spectrum of disabilities eligible for accommodations
    • To learn more about ADA in postsecondary institutions, please see the
  • Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
    • Does not apply to postsecondary education
    • Only applies to K-12 education
    • Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) include accommodations and testing modifications, but IEPs are not used in postsecondary settings
    • To learn more about IDEA and how it is different for college students, please see the