Career Confidence in
Champaign High Schools

Career Confidence in Champaign High Schools

Our project empowers Champaign public high school students through career exploration, dreamcasting, and improved access to postsecondary planning resources.
Entity
Design for America
Date
January 2024 - May 2025
Role
Team Lead

Research

Conducted interviews with Centennial High School and Central High School's college and career counselors.

Organized secondary research on current data on each school regarding
post-secondary preparations and readiness.
Conducted interviews with Centennial High School and Central High School's college and career counselors.

Organized secondary research on current data on each school regarding
post-secondary preparations and readiness.
There is a lack of sustainability education in early childhood education.

Without proper knowledge of sustainability subjects, children will not recognize their role in addressing environmental challenges, leaving a lasting knowledge gap extending into adulthood.

Research

Conducted interviews with Centennial High School and Central High School's college and career counselors.

Organized secondary research on current data on each school regarding
post-secondary preparations and readiness.
There is a lack of sustainability education in early childhood education.

Without proper knowledge of sustainability subjects, children will not recognize their role in addressing environmental challenges, leaving a lasting knowledge gap extending into adulthood.

Key Takeaways
from Research

Exposure to career options helps students plan their futures
Limited resources hinder student support
Financial barriers and selective programs restrict options
Exposure to career options helps students plan their futures
Limited resources hinder student support
Financial barriers and selective programs restrict options

Key Takeaways
from Research

Exposure to career options helps students plan their futures
Limited resources hinder student support
Financial barriers and selective programs restrict options

Design Goals

  1. Empower students to have career confidence

  2. Improve connection between the University of Illinois and
    Champaign High Schools

  3. Reduced burden on college and career counselors

  1. Empower students to have career confidence

  2. Improve connection between the University of Illinois and
    Champaign High Schools

  3. Reduced burden on college and career counselors

Design Goals

  1. Empower students to have career confidence

  2. Improve connection between the University of Illinois and
    Champaign High Schools

  3. Reduced burden on college and career counselors

How might we cultivate a culture of exploration and growth for Champaign public high school students, enabling them to dreamcast and discover careers that align with their values and interests?


How might we provide an engaging remote tour experience that supplements current in-person tours to generate
more awareness of the NCSA?

How might we provide an engaging remote tour experience that supplements current in-person tours to generate more awareness of the NCSA?

This project is in progress … check back in May for the finished product!
This project is in progress … check back in May
for the finished product!