RUNNINGHEAD: Capstone 1

Proposal

Kristal Feacher

PADM697

Prof. Earl Greenia

12/17/2023
RUNNINGHEAD: Capstone 2
Proposal

Ca

pstone Proposal: To Enhance the Career Preparation of our Youth.

In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the need for significant changes

in the education system to better equip students for the challenges of the modern workforce. The

current school system often falls short in preparing students for meaningful careers and career

pathways after high school graduation. This capstone project aims to explore and propose

actionable changes that can be implemented in our school system to enhance the career

preparedness of our youth.

The existing school system primarily focuses on academic achievement, with limited

emphasis on practical skills, career exploration, and the development of essential soft skills. As a

result, many students graduate without a clear understanding of available career options and lack

the necessary skills to navigate the intricacies of the professional world. This capstone project

pursues to address this issue by proposing comprehensive changes to the school system that

prioritize career preparedness. The primary objective of this capstone project is to propose and

advocate for changes in the school system that will better prepare students for careers and career

pathways after graduating high school.

To begin with, the school system has many inadequacies that affect student’s abilities to

prepare for their careers. Many students face a lack of guidance throughout their academic

career. They are not given advice, or vetted on what would be the best option for them career

wise, instead they are forced to focus on the common school subjects: Mathematics, Reading,
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Proposal

English, and Science, etc. These subjects are the basic information necessary to be successful in

life. If students are not given sufficient information about various career options and industries, it

hinders the decision-making process. Some schools core curriculums may not align with the

rapidly changing demands of the workforce, they do not teach practical skills and real-world

applications, which is setting up the youth for failure.

One of the most important things I want to point out as a major shortcoming in the school

system is lack of vocational training. The fact that we are putting an emphasis on academic

achievement overshadows the importance of vocational training and technical skills. Inadequate

opportunities for hands-on learning experiences in areas such as technology, trades, and other

practical fields is a huge reason student are not successful after high school. I think putting

vocational training on the same pedestal as academic training will make a huge difference in the

youth completing school successfully. Another issue that causes hindrance with career decisions

while in school is that the school system is not implementing a course of study for soft skills,

such as communication, teamwork, and problem solving. These skills are crucial for success in

almost any career but may be neglected in traditional academic settings. Internships are offered

in college, where sometimes students do the internship and decide that they are no longer

interested in their career choice. I think that doing internships, work study programs, or job

shadowing earlier would provide practical experience, which will help the students decide if this

is the career path they would like to stay on.

If we were to take a deeper look into the school system across the board and implement

programs that would help gauge students on a successful career path, we will have more

successful youths after graduation. I would like to implement a program like that of Germany’s

Dual Education System, they combine classroom education, and on-the-job training. Students

spend part of their time in school and the rest working for a company in their chosen field. This

system helps students acquire hands-on skills that make them highly employable. The

organization that I would like to propose the program to, would be CareerSource Tampa Bay.

They are a government funded nonprofit organization that currently helps people find

employment, or they offer funding for trainings. The youngest age group that they fund is 16,

and this is only for youth who want to work in a summer program that lasts 6 weeks. I feel that

this is not enough time for an individual to learn a new position, or enough time to experience a

position that they would want to turn into a career. I think that we should start the youth program

in the 6th grade. I would target low-income communities, because they do not have access to a lot

of resources, and that community struggles with graduating and moving on to college. Why not

eliminate the barriers as early as possible? so that they can be successful adults. I would

recommend the students take an aptitude test to gauge their interests. Once they know what their

interests are, the program would offer classes that would be considered electives but focus on

their interests. For example, if student interests are IT, they would have computer courses in

middle school, and their freshman year of high school they would do dual enrollment in a

vocational program that offers IT, and CareerSource would oversee the program, and fund their
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Proposal

courses. By their senior year they will have certifications and experience in the IT sector, and

most likely a job lined up after they graduate.

This initiative or program would be a grant for 7 years, 3 years in middle school, and 4

years of high school. I would want to implement the program from the beginning of 6 th grade to

the end of their senior year and monitor the candidates a year after graduating. This way we can

see if the program is worth the time and the money. It would take a lot of case management to

ensure that things are documented accordingly.

I will have to approach my research with combining qualitative methods, I discussed my

thoughts with the COO of CareerSource, and she was very elated with the idea, so I would speak

with my stakeholders (students, teachers, parents, and CareerSource staff) about how they see the

current school system and discuss their thoughts about the program I would like to implement. I

would also collect data from a diverse range of schools to ensure a representative understanding

of the challenges and opportunities present in different educational settings. Based on the

findings from literature reviews and research I would tailor the findings to address the specific

needs and challenges in our local schools’ systems. My hope is that after all the research and the

attempt to resolve these issues with the school system, my Capstone project will increase the

awareness amongst key stakeholders about the importance of enhancing career preparedness in

schools. I am hopeful that it will lead to advocacy efforts for policy changes and curriculum

enhancements at both local and state levels. The ultimate goal of implementing the proposed

changes is to see improvement in the career outcomes of students. This may be measured by
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Proposal

increased rates of successful transitions to higher education, vocational training, or direct entry

into the workforce.

In conclusion, this capstone project aims to contribute to the ongoing conversation on

improving the school system to better prepare students for successful careers and career

pathways after high school. By identifying shortcomings, reviewing best practices, and

developing actionable recommendations, the project seeks to be a catalyst for positive change in

our education system. The outcomes of this capstone project have the potential to shape future

policies and practices, ensuring that our youth are adequately equipped for the challenges of the

professional world.
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Proposal

PROJECT / THESIS TITLE

A Master Project / Thesis

Submitted to the Faculty

of

American Public University

by

Student Name

In Partial Fulfillment of the

Requirement for the Degree

of

Master of Public Administration

Month Year of Expected Graduation

American Public University

Charles Town, WV