The Texas OnCourse Educator Blog

The process of selecting a best-fit career assessment can be overwhelming for an educator. There are so many to choose from! Read on to find out how to choose the best assessment for your students. For more info on career assessments, be sure to visit the Texas OnCourse Academy.

A career paths quiz, or career assessment, is a tool designed to help individuals understand how personal attributes impact their potential success and satisfaction with different career options and work environments. Assessments are used to help individuals make more informed career decisions. They are often used by individuals and organizations such as universities, career counselors, outplacement companies, corporate human resources, executive coaches, and vocational rehabilitation counselors.

In Texas, career clusters are organized into related groups to allow students to select complementary endorsements through the Foundation High School Program. Once students determine the cluster that supports their career goals and pathway, the endorsement they will earn becomes clearer. Students can determine the career cluster for them by first exploring clusters and then taking a career cluster quiz or completing an assessment or activity.

In today's economy, students have to show strong skills to enter the workforce. This is especially true in the United States, where industries are growing faster but creating far fewer jobs. Students need to be ready for the increasingly competitive job market. 

Today's high school graduates face a much different economy than graduates in the past did. For example, students now face increased job competition, different skill requirements, and retirement uncertainty.

Career fairs in middle and high school used to conjure images of gyms bustling with booths and guest speakers, swag a-plenty. In post-COVID days, educators have pivoted to hosting virtual career fairs. We talked to two Texas educators who hosted virtual career fairs with great success. Whether you’re doing yours live through Zoom, putting videos together on Flipgrid, or making a Google Site for your students, here are some tips!

As part of the Foundation Graduation Plan, Texas middle schoolers are required to declare an endorsement that will influence their path of study in high school. Because this can be a confusing topic for students and families, we’re here with up-to-date information on everything you need to know about the five endorsements in Texas.

Later this spring, we’re relaunching the Texas OnCourse Academy on a new platform. We’re excited about how the changes will improve your experience with the Academy. We’re also planning lots of great resources to ensure that you get the most out of the platform.

When students decide to join the military, they have a few important decisions ahead of them. They must decide which branch to join, whether to enlist after high school or commission to become an officer, and choose what type of job they would like to do. For students to choose the path that is right for them, they must understand their options to determine what is best for their needs and interests.

High school students have so much on their plate. If they’re pursuing some form of higher education, their last years of high school are likely to be filled with exams, applications, essays and one big question: How am I going to pay for this?