Career Connections: Empowering Future Ready Graduates

Career Connections is the integrated framework, aligned with the Profile of a Virginia Graduate and the division's Strategic Plan, which ensures every student is valued, supported, and challenged through learning experiences, which prepare them for a successful future.

The goal of Career Connections is to introduce students to a broad variety of career opportunities, in both current and emerging industries. Students will then investigate these options based on their personal, academic, and professional interests. Finally, students will implement personalized Academic and Career Plans (ACP) aligning their coursework with their post-graduation plans.

Profile of a Virginia Graduate: The 5 C's

The Profile of a Virginia Graduate establishes a new set of expectations commonly known as the 5 C's: critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and citizenship skills.

This comprehensive approach ensures that every student acquires the content knowledge and skills they need to be successfully after graduation. A successful Virginia Graduate will:

• Achieve and apply academic & technical knowledge;
• Demonstrate workplace skills, qualities, & behaviors;
• Build connections and value interactions with others as a responsible & responsive citizen;
• and align knowledge, skills & personal interests with interests with career opportunities.

Why are Career Connections important?

We believe students are more engaged when they understand how their academic and/or technical coursework relates to future career possibilities. When students understand these connections early in their education, they will be better equipped to make decisions when developing their Academic and Career Plan.

Collaboration for Success

Through the combined efforts of local businesses, career coaches, students, parents, teachers, and counselors, we can ensure all YCSD students are college, career, and life ready when they graduate high school.

Career Connections Framework by Level