Career Education and Equality of Opportunity.

Overview & Synopsis

Equality of opportunity, a very important component of the career education rationale, mandates that career education must apply uniformly to all. Many startling changes must be made in our educational, social, and economic systems; and career education is the central instrument for the voluntary renewal of education. The counselor's role in this reform movement is that of catalyst, harmonizer, and orchestrator. Minorities (poor, non-white, and to a certain extent, women) have lacked the luxury of choice afforded others; hence they must be made knowledgeable about various alternatives, including the kinds of financial assistance available. A recent poll of 900 inner-city students from three large cities indicated that virtually every student put college finance information in first and second place in rank ordering of informational needs. Kinship between what happens in the schools and what happens elsewhere is the heart of career education--and this practical application of knowledge should be the concern and responsibility of all teachers. Education should be saturated with the career theme. The counselor needs to put together the resources for career education. Career education is the profession's response to end the systematic injustices that threaten our society. (SC)