Parent Path

College Path Checklist

Career Clusters

Upcoming Opportunities

Speaker Presentations

Career Center Reservation Info

Job Shadowing

Women in Leadership

Welcome to the Hewitt Career Center

Rationale for the Program (Why)

The Hewitt Career Center was conceptualized in 2003 and funded by Hewitt Associates of Lincolnshire, Illinois, a global provider of human resources outsourcing and consulting services. The company was concerned that over 30 million jobs would go unfilled because future employee candidates would lack the necessary skill sets to meet the employment needs of business and industry.

Hewitt chose to invest in Waukegan High School because of the diverse student population and its proximity to Hewitt's corporate offices. In addition, Hewitt explored effective ways of preparing students for the changing job market and offered assistance to the school administration and faculty in preparing students for their future professions.

The attitude among most high schools in the past was that career and technical/vocational programs were targeted solely for the non-college bound students. Some even believed that career education and/or exploration was not needed by college bound students. Today, however, the demands of the global job market require highly skilled workers with both advanced academic knowledge and strong workplace skills.

Since the job market has evolved in recent decades from an industrial to a service to a technological society, unskilled and low-income jobs are disappearing. Students who are not adequately trained in high school will have a difficult time finding entry-level positions.

In 1950, unskilled workers performed 60 percent of the jobs in the United States. Students could leave high school and find employment in low-skilled jobs and have an opportunity to start a career. It is now predicted that as we proceed into the 21st century, unskilled or low-skilled workers will fill less than 15% of the U.S. jobs. Students are competing with retirees, and in some cases, even their parents who are returning to the workforce. These substantive changes in the job market are impacting the educational system at all levels.

To meet these new challenges, the Hewitt Career Center was constructed in the Waukegan High School library and opened in January, 2004. A partnership was developed with the school administration to accomplish long-range goals including the following:

• Develop student awareness of the relationship between what is learned in the classroom and what is required in the workplace. (Transferable skills)
• Provide an opportunity for all students to explore career opportunities that utilize their interests, skills, and values.
• Provide instruction in general workplace competencies, including attendance, attitudes, and interpersonal skills.
• Enhance communication and involvement with parents, community members, business and industrial leaders, and educational systems at all levels.
• Provide business partners with an opportunity to articulate workforce needs and skills through presentations, mentoring, and job shadowing experiences.

Programs (What)

• ACT DISCOVER Career Planning Portfolio
  This is an on-line Internet based program that helps students explore career opportunities. The students assess their interests, skills, values, and produce an individualized Career Portfolio. They can also explore various careers and learn about possible professions, majors, technical schools, colleges, and universities.

• Career Resource Library
  Students have an opportunity to research career options using videos, books, and CDs. Materials are also available to faculty members for use in the classroom.

• Speaker Presentations
  Speakers from various career areas present the pathway to their career with small groups of interested students or multiple classrooms (maximum 50 students). These presentations allow students an opportunity to learn what classroom experiences they need to enter that profession.

• Job Shadowing
  Groups of students (6-20) who have expressed an interest in a career field visit professionals in their work setting.

• Scholarship Awards
  A scholarship fund has been established by our business partners to recognize students for their achievements and interest in pursuing a career in different fields.

Organizational Structure (How)

The Hewitt Career Center has two full-time staff members who plan and coordinate career related information and activities. In addition, students, faculty, and community members provide volunteer assistance.