CCRD

COLLEGE & CAREER RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Courses taught by Ms. Cynthia McClain-Purdie – [email protected]

This four-credit CTE career-completer program prepares students with the academic, technical, and workplace skills that will enable further education and/or employment in a career field upon graduation from high school. Fees may be required.

College & Career Research and Development (CCRD) is a three-credit CTE career-completer program that prepares students with the academic, technical and workplace skills necessary to seek further education and employment in a career field of their interest upon graduating high school.  The CCRD program consists of two in-school courses, a portfolio development project, and a mentored workplace experience. Students who successfully complete the program may earn three articulated college credits with CCBC.

The overarching goals of CCRD are to help students to:

  • become aware of personal characteristics, interests, aptitudes and skills
  • develop an awareness of and respect for the diversity of the world of work
  • understand the relationship between school performance and future employment choices
  • develop a positive attitude toward work
  • formulate a process for evaluating employability skill development and future education/training options.

The program consists of two in-school course(s), a portfolio development project, and a work-based learning (WBL) experience. 

Course 1:  Career Research and Development – 1 credit

Provides students with instruction on Maryland’s Career Development Model and includes self-awareness, career awareness and evaluation of career and academic choices through knowledge of the Maryland Career Clusters and Career Technology Education Programs of Study. 

Course 2:  Career Development, Preparation, and Transition – 1 credit

Continues the self-assessment and career awareness process. However, this course is more focused on career preparation and transition as students enter a formal WBL experience, as well as, plan for employment, education, and training beyond high school.

Course 3:  Work-Based Learning Experience – 2 credits

The basis for being successful in the working world is to demonstrate, in a variety of ways, competency in the Skills for Success.  These skills include (1) learning; (2) critical thinking; (3) communicating effectively; (4) grasping constantly changing technologies; and, (5) working effectively with others. 

Students participating in the College & Career Research and Development (CCRD) Program have the unique opportunity to practice these skills through a supervised work-based learning experience, the portfolio development process, and in-class instruction as they focus on continuously improving their skills to move beyond high school into employment and further education.

The workplace component is a mentored, on-the-job, work experience with a written, personalized, work-based learning plan and a formal agreement between the student, school and employer.  Local School Systems (LSS) are responsible for developing a work plan for each student that documents student progress and performance.  Student work plans include appropriate academic, technical and employability skills and a process for evaluating these skills.  The WBL coordinator in conjunction with the CCRD teacher is responsible for monitoring students’ placements, documenting students’ progress and accounting for students’ completion of their plan and portfolio. The goal of the WBL experience is to expose students to authentic employment opportunities that link to students’ career interests, LSS career clusters, and employment demand.

Work-based learning placements will prepare students for employment that lead to a family-supporting wage.  Students develop and maintain a career portfolio throughout the program documenting progress related to their work plan.  The elements of the portfolio shall document academic, technical, employability and personal skill development.  The program culminates with students presenting their final portfolio documenting personal growth, achievements and learning experiences from their program.