Career assessment services to be offered for high schoolers

Students in Purdue's counseling psychology doctoral program within the Department of Educational Studies will offer a career assessment service this summer to the high school children of Purdue faculty and staff and to local high schoolers.

The career assessment service will be offered from June 16 to Aug. 8. Each career assessment will consist of three or four sessions that will take place during the course of three to five weeks.

Although the career assessment service is aimed at high school juniors, it is also available to sophomores and seniors, says Eric Deemer, assistant professor of counseling and development. This career assessment service is not open to current Purdue students, who can seek career-related assistance from the Center for Career Opportunities.

Career assessments will take place at Purdue's Counseling and Guidance Center, which is in Beering Hall. Doctoral students will serve as clinicians under the supervision of a faculty member who is a licensed psychologist.

The career assessment process will include:

* A structured, career-related interview that will take place during the first session.

* Five career instruments, which will be completed in one to two sessions. The instruments will assess students’ career interests, career skills confidence, career values, career decision-making tendencies and lifestyle preferences.

* A wrap-up session in which clinicians will provide feedback and a written report to the students and their parents.

Sessions will vary in length. The first and last sessions will last about an hour and the career instruments session will be longer.

The parents of high schoolers can sign their teens up for this service by calling the Counseling and Guidance Center at 49-49738. The student's name, age and year in school as of fall 2014 are required, as well as their parents' names, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses. Interested families are encouraged to call now to reserve a space for the summer, as spaces are limited.

The assessment fee of $100, ­paid via cash or a check, will be required at the first session.