Introduction and Demographics of Students
During spring 2007, 1211 middle-school students from south-central and southwestern Pennsylvania completed surveys regarding their career plans. The largest number of students was at the seventh grade level (44.1%); the second-largest group was sixth graders (26.6%); and the third largest group was eighth-graders (25.8%) – cumulatively representing all except 3.5% of the students who were in the 4^th and 5^th grades. Students were balanced by gender, with 50.5% males responding and 49.3% females, with .2 not answering the question.

Career Choices
Students were asked to identify their top three career choices by listing their fist, second, and third choices. Atotal of 1202 listed their top choice; 1182 offered a second option; and 1097 reported a third. Each of these names was classified into one of 17 career categories, utilizing the 16 federal career clusters and adding one for recreation management and sports, since many made sports and related choices.

Looking at the students’ first career choices, the following categories had the most careers within them:
Lowest selected categories were the following: When looking at the top three choices combined, the same categories surfaced, with the following ranking:
Lowest selected categories for combined totals were the following: Just 35 students among the 1211 identified a career in manufacturing as one of their top three choices.

Family/Friends Connections
More than one-third (overall 35.4%) of the respondents indicted that they had a family member or close friend who works in one of their top career choice areas. This high proportion suggests an opportunity for advancing particular careers by having more students become acquainted with individuals within the profession.

Consideration of a Career in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM)
Students were asked whether they had considered a career in one of the above-listed STEM areas. Forty percent (40.0%) of the 7^th graders and 29.5% of the 8^th graders said they had. When asked why or why not, a total of 1159 comments were collected. These comments were coded and grouped into nine categories. The greatest positive response was found with students who believed they were competent in the areas. A listing of the priority reasons given for considering or not considering a career in the area follow: Just 3 percent reported that a family member was the influencer when open-ended responses were called for in this question.

It is important to note that many of those students who selected a career interest in the science areas were oriented toward a variety of health professions, including physicians, nurses, and pharmacists; and careers related to cars, including design; design careers oriented toward music, video, and games; and careers related to animals, which many identified as a love.

Information Source
Parents are the most important source of information for students in learning about a career. A total of 786 students named parents as their first or second choice for information, and 4 in 5 reported that this is their most important source of information. The following list illustrates the collected findings of first and second most important sources of career information: Given the low number now selecting manufacturing as a top career choice, and in recognition of the students’ knowledge of careers coming largely from someone they know, and the importance of parents to these age groups, the project leadership team may wish to dedicate more energies toward educating parents about career opportunities in manufacturing.

College Plans
Most students report plans to earn a baccalaureate or graduate degree, with 34.5% and 29.1% selecting these options, respectively, making for 63.6% with college-completion plans. Interestingly, 20.5% reported that they do not know, and only 2.5% reported that they “will not attend college.”

Follow-up Report:
A subsequent report will analyze just the 8^th graders data, since this group will now be moving on to a high school curriculum.