Counselors and teachers know that the elementary/ middle school development is important. Schooling is a time of transition, a threshold to the student's future, and a bridge into the student's destiny. Career development is an ongoing lifelong process.

Career portfolios focus on the importance of career planning in school. What are career interest portfolios? Career interest portfolio are career education, self awareness or occupational exploration portfolios. Career interest portfolios are snap shots of the interests, abilities, and skills.

Middle School is a bridge Between Elementary School and High School. Yet, without Middle School Career Education, students fail to build a foundation of the connection between high school academic subjects, potential careers, world of work, and post-secondary training. As a result, students have lack self awareness, possess poor intrinsic motivation, and make limited career choices.

Teachers and curriculum developers recognize the similarities between Social Studies and elementary school career education standards. As a result, some teachers and curriculum developers use both the Social Studies Standards and career awareness models to design elementary school Civics, Geography, and Economics curriculum.