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Portland Observer Janaury 8,1981 Page 5
Seeking careers for the future
By Nathaniel Scott
“ Business, health sciences and the
technical fields are areas o f the
fu tu re ,” said Dr. C arl Parker,
career specialist at Portland Com
munity College.
He is a native of Portland, atten
ded college in Alabama, and ob
tained his Ph.D from Oregon State
University. He counsels at Sylvania
and Cascade campuses and is in
volved in other com m unity ac
tivities. The Observer posed a num
ber o f questions to him relating to
careers and career development.
Observer: As a career specialist,
what are your main concerns when
helping a person choose a career?
Parker: My main concern is to
help the person become more aware
o f him /h e r self in relation to
abilities, skills and experience. In
my work here at PCC, I’m involved
in individual, group counseling and
instruction which is designed to help
people become aware o f themselves
through a structured process. The
process involves self-awareness, self
assessment, jo b cluster iden
tific a tio n . career in fo rm a tio n
search, decision making and con
firmation.
Observer: What are some o f the
things to be aware o f when choosing
a career?
Parker: We have to be aware o f
what we want to get out o f a job.
When I say, knowing what we want
to get out o f a jo b , I am talking
about work values in terms of work
schedule, job satisfa* tion, money,
re s p o n s ib ilitie s , ach ie ve m e n t,
recognition, and things o f that
nature. Some other things to be
aware o f besides work values are;
(1) their AIRS (A b ilitie s, interest
and skills), (2) Career inform ation
as it relates to their awareness o f
‘S elf, (3) job supply and demands
and job requirements, (4) training
and/or educational opportunities,
(5) financial assistance available.
Observer: What fie ld s are most
lucrative at the present?
Parker: You will probably find a
lot o f jobs in the accounting and
computer fields, certain kinds o f
sales, business and health fields.
The technical are probably high in
employment opportunities also.
Observer: What are some o f the
employment benefits f o r a person
with a two year college degree?
Parker: A two year college degree
is an indication that a person has
had two years o f training or
education in a specialized field. The
person w ithout the two years
training through an organized
situation, such as an institution or
OJT (on the job training), does not
put himself in a position where he/
she can move into the better paying
jobs.
Through the two year training
programs, people c&n receive the
initial training that w ill help them
get better-paying jobs. Let me also
say, there is a misnomer about
education in our society that says
that a person has to have a four year
college degree. However, according
to the Department o f Labor, ap
proximately 80 percent o f the people
who are in higher education w ill
compete for 20 percent o f the jobs.
And 80 percent o f the jobs, which
20 percent o f the people are seeking,
w ill come through your vocational
on-the-job training process. I per
ceive the com m unity college as a
very adequate place for obtaining
skills necessary fo r better paying
jobs.
Observer: What are the advan
tages in seeking early
career
development help?
Parker: There are so many things
that a person has to consider. I f a
person take the time to do the career
planning, he or she w ill become
more aware o f abilities, skills and so
on. One can begin to identify career
or job cluster areas that may com
plement projected aims. Many times
we get locked in to jobs due to
family responsibilities and making
ends meet. Early career develop
ment may lead to a more satisfying
w orking career. It can also help
eliminate the possibility o f getting
locked into a job field and being
bound there by circumstances.
Observer: Which fie ld s seem
more advantageous fo r Blacks over
the next five to ten years?
Parker: Business, accounting,
especially the health occupations
and other technical and scientific
areas are the areas o f the future. I
encourage Blacks to become more
involved in those areas. We have a
tendency to focus on the social
fields, however, we need to branch
out into other fields.
One way to do that is through
career planning, which begins not
in college, but in childhood in the
home. Parents, or guardians along
w ith the com m unity, school and
church, must assume the respon
sibility o f introducing the child to a
comprehensive educational and
living experience that w ill broaden
the c h ild ’ s perspective. This is
necessary in fa c ilita tin g a solid
foundation fo r career direction,
character development and citizenry
participation. The things the child is
exposed to becomes the corner
stones o f what he/she will become.
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By Gladys McCoy, Chairman
Multnomah County Commissioner
The Board o f C ounty Com
missioners recently approved an
agreement whereby corrections, un
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Walker, would ‘ ‘ recog” or release
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M ultnom ah County C orrections
shared the recog strategy with both
the State Corrections Administrator
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The positive aspects o f such a
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proxim ately 240 less people per
month. It is a fact people not incar
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Such behavior most often results in
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Sgt. Walker was given permission
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The plan was approved and sup
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