Possible Use of Entry Occupational Classification, Dictionary of Occupational Titles, Part IV, by High School Counselors

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The ultimate goal of a high-school vocational guidance program is the satisfying vocational placement or direction of each pupil, or, at least, the assisting of each pupil in the correct choice, preparation, and/or training for some satisfying vocational course of action. The big problem is the realization of a satisfying course of action. In assisting the pupil, in addition to obtaining the best and most complete information about the pupil, one needs to know the world of work opportunities and the possibilities of satisfying vocational expression--one must have occupational information. Those high-school teachers and administrators who have attempted to set up and operate a guidance program have found their greatest difficulty in acquiring the necessary occupational information. These same teachers and administrators may have successfully established an excellent testing program and acquired a weilth of accumulated information about the pupil, but all this is just much static information unless it is matched with the objectives of the pupil and the requirements of vocational pursuits. Our counseling program fails if we fail to note the relationship between is given in the basic information about the student, the pupil's selfknowledge of opportunities, and the demands of possible courses of activities which the pupil may choose to realize expression. Many teachers and administrators reach the so and what next stages when they have acquired a certain amount of scholastic, mental ability, interest, and personality data about the student. The guidance from there on sometimes takes on the haphazardness of shot gun proposals through a course in Occupations. At this point the conscientious (though misguided) teacher-counselor or principal prays for a test which will tell his students each can do. It goes without saying that this directive type of counsel violates the fundamental purpose of guidance-that of maintaining the sense of self-decision in choices of action.