ABSTRACT
In present day, more than ever before, youth need a basic education in order to successfully enter into the demanding workforce that lies ahead. Fostering positive career development in the elementary school years provides a foundation for the college and career readiness endeavors at the high school level. This chapter describes the current status of career development interventions in US elementary school settings, discusses the challenges to providing such services to elementary-aged children, and describes national models guiding career development efforts. In the United States, there are two career development models commonly used to guide career programming for elementary aged children: The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) National Standards for Students and the National Career Development Guidelines (NCDG) Framework. The chapter reviews the outcome research that exists for childhood career development endeavors and offers suggestions for advancing the evidence base for elementary school career interventions.
