The Career Action Plan is where you record your occupational goals and the actions necessary to reach your goals. Your Career Action Plan is a "living document": you'll update regularly. Use this website and/or the My Stuff CAP mobile app to easily update your plan.
The following instructions will help you complete your Career Action Plan. You can read step-by-step details inside your Career Center My Stuff Account.
1. Explore Occupations I
Use the California CareerZone website to identify occupations that match your interests.
Go to the California CareerZone and set up your free account. Then select “Discover Possibilities”. Then select the “Interest Profiler” and choose the 30 question-mini version.
After completing the assessment, explore occupations on the results list and give a thumbs up rating for any that look interesting to you. Choose at least three of your rated occupations, copy them then return to your Career Action Plan and paste them in the Explore Occupations I section.
2. Explore Occupations II
Use the California CareerZone website to identify occupations that match your lifestyle goals.
Sign in to your California CareerZone account by selecting “Career Hub” and then “Get Started”. Select “Discover Possibilities”. Then select “Make Money Choices." Select “Budget how much money you’ll need” and follow the prompts.
After completing your budget, explore occupations on the results list and give a thumbs up rating for any that look interesting to you. Choose at least three of your rated occupations, copy them. Then return to your Career Action Plan and paste them in the Explore Occupations II section.
3. Occupation to Research
Review the occupations you identified in the Explore Occupations I and II sections. Choose one occupation to begin researching as the focus of your Career Action Plan. If you need help deciding, go back to the California CareerZone occupations you rated and compare them to see which occupation is the best match for you. You can easily find your rated occupations list when signed in to your account. On your account homepage select “I Want To” and then select “Ratings”.
4. Degree and/or Certification Required
Use the Occupational Outlook Handbook website to discover the training, education, certification, and/or license you’ll need to enter this occupation.
On the Occupational Outlook Handbook homepage, type your occupation’s title into the “Search Handbook” box. Look for your occupation in the results list and click on the title.
On the profile, look for the tab “How to Become One”. Read the requirements for how to become one to see what you need to enter this occupation. Return to the California Career Center and fill in your Career Action Plan Degree and/or Certification Required section.
5. Education and/or Training Programs
Use the California CareerZone to identify schools and programs for your occupation. Log into your California CareerZone account. Go to your occupation’s profile page. Under “Your Opportunities”, select “Education and Training” to see a list of programs. Select a program.
Read the “About This Program” section and then select “Find Colleges”. Select a school’s name to see the “Institution Profile”. Choose the school’s website link to find details about programs they offer.
Identify a few programs at schools you think are a good match for you. Return to the California Career Center and fill in the Education and/or Training programs section of your Career Action Plan.
6. Related Experiences
Identify things you’ve already done to prepare for your occupation:
1) Courses you've completed in high school, community college, or online;
2) Extracurricular Activities you've participated in: clubs, sports, music, internships, or volunteering;
3) Awards earned in academics, citizenship, sports, or Career Technical Student Organizations;
4) Certifications you have earned like a First Aid Card, Career Technical Education, or ServSafe.
7. Future Experiences
Identify experiences that can help you prepare for your occupation. Start by looking at your occupation’s California CareerZone profile.
Read the sections “What They Do” and “Things They Need to Know” then think about internships, community organizations, volunteering, classes, training opportunities, and jobs that can help you learn "What They Do" and "Things They Need to Know".
8. Supporters
Identify two or three people you can count on to help you prepare for and enter your occupation. Write down
1) Each person’s contact information;
2) Describe your relationship with them; and
3) What they can help you with.
For example, my Career Tech Ed teacher (Mr. Thatcher) can put me in touch with industry organizations and potential employers.
Then find two industry organizations related to your occupation. Go to the CareerOneStop Professional Association Finder webpage and search for your occupation.
9. Action Steps
Describe the steps you’ll take—starting now—to prepare for transitioning out of high school and into training programs, higher education, or directly into the workforce. Each step in your plan, needs to have:
1. Outcome: the result you expect by completing the step.
2. Actions: a list of tasks you need to do to reach your outcome.
3. Resources: people to involve, offices you need to visit, and resources to complete your list of tasks.
4. Deadline: the date this step will be completed.
10. Plan B
Plans change and your Plan B will help you quickly adjust to a different path. A Plan B may be as simple as taking an alternate path to your preferred occupation (starting at a community college instead of a four-year college), it may mean temporarily shifting to a related occupation (nursing assistant instead of registered nurse), or it could mean choosing an entirely different occupation (sports therapist instead of professional athlete).
Your Plan B doesn't need to be detailed but it needs enough information to help you quickly switch gears.
11. Resources
Write down the websites and books you use, list meetings you attend, visits you made to companies, colleges, or training schools. You'll go back to these resources and it's much easier if you know who you spoke with and the help they offered you.