Pennsylvania Department of Education’s free online tool assists students with career awareness, exploration, and planning, such as the Interest Profiler, Work Importance Profiler, and Assess yourself assessment, as well as comprehensive information on 900 occupations and career readiness tools.

For 25+ years, the Center for Workforce Information & Analysis has provided resources for educators and job seekers to explore careers and interests in a self-assessment, to research occupations in Pennsylvania and post-secondary options, and to plan for future success using effective tools and guidelines.

Colorful classroom posters are available for each of the Pennsylvania Workforce Development Areas (WDAs) and include one poster for each of the 12 industry clusters, as well as wage and annual opening data.

The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia provides a wealth of resources for K-12 educators, including lesson plans on personal finance and economics. Educators can access lesson plans specifically connected to Career Retention and Advancement and Entrepreneurship standards.

This federal resource provides career information on duties, education and training, pay, and outlook for hundreds of occupations in 25 occupation groups. Also included is a teacher’s guide, as well as links to the following resources:

• Career One Stop is a repository of career videos.
• O’Net(matches information about knowledge, skills, abilities, interests, general work activities to occupations.
• My Future is the Department of Defense’s career planning tool.
• My Next Move is the United States Department of Labor career search and preparation tool.

Online users can register to use a free, online platform centered around financial education, STEM, and career readiness.

The National Consortium for Entrepreneurship Education website provides resources for teachers, students, and communities to engage an entrepreneurial mindset through meaningful and activities.

TED-Ed is TED’s youth and education initiative. TED-Ed’s mission is to spark and celebrate the ideas of teachers and students around the world. Everything we do supports learning — from producing a growing library of original animated videos, to providing an international platform for teachers to create their own interactive lessons, to helping curious students around the globe bring TED to their schools and gain presentation literacy skills, to celebrating innovative leadership within TED-Ed’s global network of over 650,000 teachers.

Georgia CTAE’s website contains middle and high school lesson plans and resources in career pathways and career readiness for limited public use.

The Partnership provides numerous resources for educators and works to build a system of K-12 career development, to connect students to postsecondary options, and to improve workforce and economic development in our region through community events and resources, employer/education connections, school activities/curriculum and worksite experiences.

The non-profit organization has been supporting school districts in western PA for 30 years and currently works with more than 40 districts in career readiness initiatives. The Consortium is collaborating with Simcoach Games to produce skill building VIDEOS to develop employability skills for student future success.

The Skill Arcade is a workforce development and training platform that engages students using video games to expose them to career paths, as well as connections to training, apprenticeships, and employment in their region.

Educators and stakeholders can access e-learning tools, virtual events, STEAM, and local training and career opportunities showcasing industries and careeries.

Mr. Rogers takes learners of all ages into crayon factories, macaroni factories, and other adventures with “real world” businesses.

This career preparation site provides free template building tools to create résumés and cover letters, as well as interview preparation guides.

This site provides free templates, focused on customizing skills to individuals’ talents and professional goals.

The Science Outreach Center at SFU provides students and educators opportunities to engage in STEM activities to promote career awareness in the community and support K-12 schools. Activities include PA Statistics Poster Competition, Kids College Summer Camps, and Rural Outreach Chemistry for Kids (R.O.C.K.). Events are ongoing and subject to change. SFU for Kids

Energy Safe Kids provides free teacher resources about energy careers for students, as well as educational games and activities.

Junior Achievement provides multiple career readiness activities and resources for teachers, students, and families.

FFA (Future Farmers of America) is a national student organization that develops student potential in leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education. The FFA’s Ag Explorer site focuses on careers in agriculture for both student and the educator, with lessons and activities for the classroom.

Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) is a national student to professional organization that prepares community-minded business leaders in a global society through relevant career preparation and leadership experiences.

DECA is an international student organization that prepares student leadership and entrepreneurs in marketing, finance, hospitality and management from high school to college in competitive challenges and events.

This system offers a full range of features and services to assist educators, labor market analysts, job seekers, and employers in their workforce development needs. County profiles are helpful in aligning career pathways to regional workforce needs.

The PA Department of Labor and Industry provides detailed information about developing pre-apprenticeship and registered apprenticeship programs, as well as contact information to assist school districts and employers in the process.

The PA Department of Labor and Industry compiles a list of available grants to educators and industries to support workforce development.

PAsmart is an initiative with the goal to expand inclusion in Career and Technical Education, STEM and computer science teaching, learning and talent development, to help ensure students across Pennsylvania have the skills to meet the economic needs of the dynamic Pennsylvania economy.

The annual video contest connects students to manufacturing careers and produces profiles of companies throughout Pennsylvania. The teams of students and teacher coaches receive camera equipment and professional guidance as they learn to script, record, and edit their video stories. Check out this year’s winners!

The Edcorps Marketplace and Community of young creatives and learners create entrepreneurial products for purchase to fund education and social causes.

The Pennsylvania Outdoor Corps provides youth and young adults with paid opportunities to gain competitive job readiness skills to prepare them for careers in environmental conservation through a partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

The UPMC Horizon – Shenango Valley in northwestern PA has developed a job shadow program with opportunities for students to shadow a professional for up to three days, as well as an internship program.

This online platform is a comprehensive career exploration and planning program that links businesses, nonprofit organizations, and schools to create and share experiences for students to job shadow, intern, tour companies, benefit from class speakers, and participate in career workshops and fairs.

The program’s mission is to build sustainable Business/Education partnerships while introducing students to careers in their communities, as well as contribute to workforce and economic development by developing positive work habits. Students have the opportunity to achieve awards in STEM, attendance, academics, and community service.

Philadelphia Futures is a non-profit organization that provides Philadelphia's low-income, first-generation-to-college students with the tools, resources and opportunities necessary for admission to and success in college.

This office will provide high school students with a disability (e.g., IEP, 504 Plan) who may need vocational guidance and assistance in preparing for, obtaining, or maintaining competitive employment.

KnowHow2GO is a campaign designed to encourage students and veterans to prepare for college. This source provides resources for financial planning, student interests, college matches, and success stories, centered around four key steps—Be a pain, push yourself, find the right fit, and put your hands on some cash.

This website focuses on ways to improve STEM Education at your school through a free, strategic planning process using a positive, collaborative approach. Educators can filter through STEMISPHERE resources to enhance classroom instruction. The Carnegie STEM Excellence Pathway is a free, strategic planning process to improve STEM education at your school or district.

The United States Army provides students and teachers a resource of Army-sponsored STEM programs through K through college, such as Unite (a pre-college experience), scholarships, STEM engagement activities, and exposes them to Department of Defense STEM careers.

Educators can guide students to careers sponsored through industry, trade organizations, and community colleges, such as PA Carpenter Apprenticeship, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), RACC Electrical Utility Technology/First Energy.

This career services platform (operated under the direction of the PA Labor & Industry) is a collaborative project between multiple agencies to provide career services to Pennsylvania employers, potential employees, and others. Pennsylvania CareerLink offices and access points are located in each of the 67 Pennsylvania counties.