Academic & Career Planning (ACP)

Find your passion; shape your path!

 

Quick Links

Plymouth High School 2023-24 ACP Guide
ACP Advisory Curriculum
Wisconsin Virtual School
 

What is ACP?

Academic and Career Planning, or ACP, is a student-driven, adult-supported process in which students create and cultivate their own unique and information-based visions for post secondary success, obtained through self-exploration, career exploration, and the development of career management and planning skills.

 

Our vision

All PHS students will graduate “College and Career Ready,” which means they will:

• Understand how their unique strengths and interests align with future opportunities.
• Realize their individual post-secondary goals and aspirations.
• Have developed knowledge, dispositions, and skills needed to pursue individual post-secondary goals.
• Be able to effectively transition into post-secondary path of choice.
• Be positive contributing members to the global society.
 

The ACP Model

Know - Who am I?

• Self-awareness activities
• Individual reflection and goal-setting

Explore - What do I want to do?

• Career awareness assessment
• Career research

Plan - How do I get there?

• Connecting middle and high school instructional activities with opportunities to explore or learn more about a particular field of interest
• Work-based learning opportunities
• Extra-curricular and community-based learning experiences
• Postsecondary training options
• Financial plan to cover cost of postsecondary training

Go - Do it!

• Update regularly
• Adapt/Modify Intentional Sequence of Courses
• Adapt/Modify Personal Goals
• Adapt/Modify Postsecondary/Career Goals
• ACP Conferencing with families
Diagram showing the 4 ACP steps as puzzle pieces
 

An ongoing process

At each grade level, students will be engaged in Academic and Career planning. Academic and Career plans are likely to change each year as the student continues to learn academically, explore and experience new things, and develop personally. Academic and Career planning is a gradual process that builds from one year to the next.


6th-grade students will:

• Understand definitions and terms related to the Academic and Career Plan.
• Learn and explore each of the 16 career clusters.
• Start to develop an electronic career portfolio and  an understanding  of its purpose.
• Explore various class options and how they fit with their post-secondary and career paths.
• Complete various inventories to help them begin to understand their learning styles and identify potential career interests.
• Explore the importance of school involvement through extracurricular opportunities.

7th-grade students will:

• Understand how to set academic and personal goals.
• Begin to understand the importance of “soft skills” as they relate to academic and career goals.
• Understand how current courses align to potential career interest.
• Complete inventories that help them continue to understand their strengths and abilities in connection with potential career interests.
• Learn and explore the different pathways within the 16 career cluster.

8th-grade students will:

• Be introduced to High School graduation requirements and the importance of a four year academic plan.
• Review the High School Course Offerings to create a four year plan.
• Explore the extracurricular activity opportunities available at the High School.
• Update and revise Academic and Career Plan to represent current goals and school involvement.
• Know and begin applying “soft skills” as they relate to academic and career goals.

9th-grade students will:

• Update personal inventories to identify any key changes that could affect goals and plans.
• Understand the potential cost and potential benefits of the various post-secondary options.
• Be exposed to available post-secondary opportunities and financial planning that supports their potential academic and career goals.
• Develop a strong understanding of grades, credits, and transcript as it relates to post-secondary plans.
• Be introduced to INSPIRE Sheboygan County and understand the role of career coaches, job shadowing, and work based learning activities.
• Understand the importance of school and community involvement through extracurricular activities, employment, and volunteer activities.

10th-grade students will:

• Conduct structured research on potential careers.
• Identify roles and responsibilities, skills and dispositions, and education/training needed to pursue identified careers.
• Accurately document extracurricular involvement in Xello and understand the importance of building portfolios over time.
• Explore the high school course options that align with personal career goals.

11th-grade students will:

• Review assessment results and understand how they support post-secondary goals.
• Research, experience and evaluate post-secondary opportunities (i.e college visits, INSPIRE Sheboygan County job shadows).
• Develop a plan/timeline for achieving post-secondary goals.
• Learn how to customize their resumes to match post secondary goals.
• Understand financial implications for post-secondary options along with resources available.
• Complete a reflective writing piece that could be incorporated into post secondary goals (i.e. college application essay, scholarship essay, cover letter).

12th-grade students will:

• Develop a financial plan to support post-secondary transition.
• Ensure their Academic and Career plan accurately reflects all honors, credentials, endorsements, etc that comprise their Academic and Career Plan in Xello.
• Understand how to use and transition their Academic and Career Plan portfolio to ensure access after graduation.
 

Regional Career Pathways

The Wisconsin Regional Career Pathways (RCP) approach is a statewide effort to deliver high-quality career pathways in high schools that reflect the needs and vision of a regional collaborative group of employers, education, and economic and workforce development.

What are the Benefits of Regional Career Pathways?

  • For high school students, regional career pathways align education and training with the needs of the local job market, provide a range of postsecondary options, result in a high school diploma with at least one industry-recognized credential, and help students enter or advance within an occupation.
  • For schools, career pathways provide a specific ACP plan for occupations that are in demand in Wisconsin.  This allows schools to focus on student and curriculum activities with input and support from regional employers and higher education.
  • For employers, regional career pathways make partnerships with a greater number of schools possible.  This allows employers to shape the future talent pipeline, foster young talent, and highlight local career opportunities across an entire region.

Plymouth School District State-Approved Regional Pathway Maps

Advanced Manufacturing

Health Science Patient Care

Digital Technology

Architecture and Construction

 

Labor market information

To access labor market information for Sheboygan County, view the State of Wisconsin WisConomy Workforce Profile.