Focusing on the Future

Abstract

Career development serves as a lifelong process requiring constant personal development of skills and knowledge. This article introduces a career development program, Focusing on the Future, designed for high-ability middle and high school students and their parents, and examines responses to open-ended questions related to the perceived benefits and effects of the program. Focusing on the Future is an annual career-related conference held by the Center for Gifted Education at the College of William and Mary. The program was designed to help gifted students and their parents engage in career planning and develop specific career plans. This study found different needs for career development for middle and high school students, and recommendations from the responses of participants are provided separately for middle school students, high school students, and their parents.