Effectiveness of the Career Dimensions’ Systems
We presented our most recent research results that describe the effectiveness of our Career Dimensions systems at the following professional conferences:

• National Career Development Association Annual Conference, Washington DC 2008
• Workforce Development Professionals Annual Conference, The College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, Massachusetts, 2009
• Arkansas Conference for Workforce Education, Career Guidance, Exploration, and Preparation, Little Rock, 2009
• National Institute of Certified College Planners, Las Vegas, 2008

High School Students (grades 7-12)
Benefits of using My own Career Profile: Students had significant improvements in the following:

• Discovered wide range of occupations and education programs compatible with their self-assessment profiles.
• More specific about their career and education goals.
• More communication with counselor and parents about career plans.
• More participation in behaviors that support their career goals, e.g. volunteer work and internships.
• More specific about college plans and choices of colleges and schools.
• More confident bout their career and education plans.

College and University Students (2-year and 4-year colleges and universities)
Benefits of using FOCUS-2:Students had significant improvements in the following:

• More confident in their choice of a major area of study.
• More participation in behaviors supporting their career development, e.g., volunteers activities and internships.
• More specific about plans for advanced degrees.
• More specific about their occupation goals and plans.
• More communication with their College’s Career Services counselors.

Persons in Career Transition and Seeking Career Change

• Discovered a wide range of occupations that match their personal qualities.
• More confident that they can make a successful career change.
• Reduced stress about their future security.
• More specific about their occupational and educational goals.
• More specific about their immediate skills training needs. 
• More specific about their choices for enrollment in a college, technical institute, etc.
  

Prisoners and Offenders on Probation or Parole, and Teenagers in Juvenile Detention Centers

• Exposed to more choices for their future.
• Making plans based on their personal interest, abilities and values.
• More self confident that they can control their own destiny.
• More specific about occupational and educational goals and plans.
• More specific about their choices for enrollment in skills training programs.
• More specific about enrollment in a college, technical institute, or vocational school.

Benefits of Career and Education Planning to Society and the Economy

Reference: America’s Career Resource Network Association (ACRN) "The Educational, Social & Economic Value of Informed and Considered Career Decisions” dated 2003 and updated in 2005, authored by Scott Gille and Meegan S. Isenhour

• More educated and adaptive workforce
• Increased productivity through gainful employment
• More tax revenue for governments
• Reduction of costs to the public through:
  • Less unemployment insurance payments.
  • Reduced welfare expenses
  • Less health care expense through a reduction in stress
  • Less criminal justice expenses through a reduction in violence
  • Less false starts by students in colleges, universities, and technical institutes that result in extra years of enrollment and extra costs