Career Kokua Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to some commonly asked questions at Career Kokua.

• I don't know what careers are out there. Where do I start?
• As a parent, what can I do to help with my child's career plans and career decisions?
• How can I find occupations that match my interests and abilities?
• How can I get information about the occupations I'm interested in?
• How can I learn about what people really do on the job?
• How can I learn about what the pay is like for the occupations I'm interested in?
• How can I find out what employers look for when they hire?
• How can I find out how many people are employed in an occupation I'm interested in and whether jobs are available?
• How do I get information about how to prepare for the occupation I'm interested in?
• How can I learn about industries and employers?
• How can I find out about training programs available locally?
• Where can I go to brush up on or gain new skills?
• How can I find the right college?
• How can I learn about the financial aid process and what resources are available?
• How do I begin looking for a job?
• Where does the Career Kokua information come from?
• How can I integrate Career Kokua into my classroom?
• What kind of training does Career Kokua provide and how do I get Career Kokua training?
• How can I get Career Kokua for my school or organization?
• How much does Career Kokua cost?

I don't know what careers are out there. Where do I start?
Career Kokua is a good place to begin your career exploration. Career Kokua provides up-to-date information for career decision making and may answer your questions about careers. Browse through the information on the web site and see your counselor or teacher if you need additional help with your career planning.

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As a parent, what can I do to help with my child's career plans and career decisions?
As a parent you play an important part in your children's career development. While you can't choose a career for them, you can help them discover how to make informed choices to realize their dreams. See the Parent Resources section for more information.

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How can I find occupations that match my interests and abilities?
Career Kokua has career assessments that will provide lists of occupations which may be suitable to your interests and abilities. Take any of the assessments available under the Career Assessment channel and see your counselor for help with interpreting your results.

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How can I get information about the occupations I'm interested in?

Career Kokua provides up-to-date information on over 90% of the occupations in Hawaii. Each of the 445 occupational profiles in the Career Kokua system includes:

• an Overview of the workers' main tasks
• Specific Work Activities - the tasks and activities performed specifically by workers in the occupation
  
• Common Work Activities - the tasks and activities common to other occupations
  
• Cross References - related occupations, occupational clusters, educational programs, Hawaii career pathways, occupational interest codes, and USDOE occupational areas
  
• Interests - values people in the occupation say are important for them and the overall interest areas people in this occupation tend to prefer
  
• Skills and Abilities - skills workers need to do and the skills that employers look for when hiring someone for the job
  
• Working Conditions - the conditions and settings that workers in the occupation are exposed to and also the characteristics that a worker needs to do well in the occupation
  
• Physical Demands - the physical activities that workers frequently do on the job
  
• Hiring Practices - what employers prefer or require when hiring someone including the formal training or licensure required.
  
• Current Employment - information about the number of jobs in the occupation for both the national and state levels
  
• Wages - information on how much workers in the occupation in Hawaii earn, the wage value for workers nationally, and how workers are paid
  
• Knowledge - the areas of experience and training needed for the occupation
  
• Helpful High School Courses - the high school courses that help in preparing for work or additional training in the occupation
  
• Licensing/Certification/Designation/Registration - the requirements that applicants must meet for the occupation such as licensing, certification, or registration requirements
• Preparation - the education, training, and experience needed to prepare for work in the occupation.
  
• Outlook - an estimate on how rapidly the occupation is expected to grow in comparison to all other occupations
  
• Advancement Opportunities - information about where most people in the occupation start and what positions one may advance to with more training or more experience
  
• Additional Sources of Information - free or low-cost publications for more information about careers, reference books found in schools or libraries, and publications available on the Internet

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How can I learn about what people really do on the job?

To get information about what people in an occupation do, use the Career Kokua Occupations file which provides information about occupational duties, work setting, and skills. The information is collected through annual surveys of persons working in the occupation and employers of the occupation.

The Career Kokua Community Resources directory lists employers, businesses, agencies, and professional organizations who are willing to provide first-hand information about careers. Arrangements to talk to or visit a community resource should be made through a teacher or your counselor.

Career Videos are also available for most occupations in the Career Kokua system. The videos show snippets of what people do in on the job and what their work settings are like.

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How can I learn about what the pay is like for the occupations I'm interested in?
Look up the information in the Career Kokua Occupations file which includes statewide estimates of entry level earnings for each occupation and the range for those who have experience. This information is gathered through our annual occupational reviews and surveys.

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How can I find out what employers look for when they hire?
Career Kokua's career information analysts gather this information through our yearly occupational reviews and surveys. We ask employers about hiring practices, skills that they need, licensing or certification requirements, ways to prepare, related educational and training programs, career advancement opportunities, and for other helpful tips. This information is summarized in the Career Kokua Occupational information file.

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How can I find out how many people are employed in an occupation I'm interested in and whether jobs are available?
The Career Kokua Occupations information includes current employment which tells you how many people are employed in the occupation and what the outlook is like. 

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How do I get information about how to prepare for the occupation I'm interested in?
By using Career Kokua you can learn about the knowledge, hiring practices, skills, licenses or certification, ways to prepare, related educational and training programs, entry-level occupations, and other helpful information from employers about the occupation you're interested in. Career Kokua can also tell you where to go for a particular training program. 

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How can I learn about industries and employers?
The Career Kokua Industries file provides information about Hawaii's 31 industries. You can learn about the services and products that the industries provide, employers, occupations in the industries, benefits offered by each industry, and the outlook for a specific industry. 

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How can I find out about training programs available locally?

The Career Kokua Programs of Study and Training file provides information on about 140 local education and training programs. The information includes the intent of the program, coursework, program length, related occupations, and a list of the licensed and accredited schools in Hawaii that offer the program. 

Kumu A'o, the Consumer Report Card System, lists over 70 training providers in Hawaii who are WIA (Workforce Investment Act) Eligible Training Providers.

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Where can I go to brush up on or gain new skills?

The Career Kokua Local Schools file provides up-to-date information on the approximately 100 licensed and accredited public and private colleges and universities, community colleges, and private vocational schools in Hawaii. You can learn about admission requirements and procedures, application deadlines, costs, financial aid, and other important higher education planning information. 

Kumu A'o, the Consumer Report Card System, lists over 70 training providers in Hawaii who are WIA (Workforce Investment Act) Eligible Training Providers. These providers have gone through an application procedure with the counties in order to provide training to eligible WIA program participants.

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How can I find the right college?

The Career Kokua CollegeQuest channel provides a start in college planning. It provides important considerations for you, your counselor, and your parents to work with within the college selection and application process.

The Career Kokua Education & Training channel provides a CollegeQuest module designed to help you sort through over 4,200 two-year and four-year and colleges and universities. It provides a decision making exercise so that you can experience the consequences of choices and decisions you are making by providing lists of colleges which match the educational needs and preferences you indicated.

After you've done a college search, you can get detailed information about the schools on your list. You can also email the colleges directly, visit their web sites, and add the schools to your 'My Search List'. Registration is required to save lists of colleges on the web site.

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How can I learn about the financial aid process and what resources are available?

Career Kokua's Financial Aid channel provides information that can help you with the financial aid process - from searching for scholarships, to getting personalized analysis of your financial situation, to completing the FAFSA.

The Financial Aid Search provides a multi-criteria search of financial aid resources and scholarships. Search results can be stored on-line and can be retrieved at any time with a user name and password.

BestCollege Deals allows you to compare costs - including tuition, fees, room, and board - and financial aid offerings from colleges in the U.S. You can estimate how much your family may be expected to contribute toward your education and determine your out-of-pocket cost of attendance.

A link to the web site for Government Sponsored Financial Aid lets you get the documents you will need to apply for financial aid.

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How do I begin looking for a job?
Career Kokua's Job Search Aids file provides tips and ideas on how to look for a job. This information is helpful if you need ideas on where to look for work, how to complete a job application, how to write a resume, and what to do before, during, and after the interview. 

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Where does the Career Kokua information come from?

Career Kokua's career information analysts

• gather data from a wide variety of sources
• analyze the data using standard methodologies
• write information statements according to prescribed formats and procedures
• relate each type of information to other types in a comprehensive way that promotes effective career development
• enter the information in the Career Kokua file structure.

Each Career Kokua information file is updated annually. Different methods are used for each type of information. However, for each file, the methods are consistent so that the information is accurate and verifiable, a crucial feature of a SYSTEM of information.

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How can I integrate Career Kokua into my classroom?

The Career Kokua Activities Handbook provides activities, lesson plans, and worksheets for use with the Career Kokua system. The activities are organized according to the National Career Development Guidelines' career development domains of Personal & Social Development, Educational Achievement and Lifelong Learning, and Career Management.

An Activities Index identifies each activity by the time required for the activity, group or individualized use, grade/age level, and subject areas. Special efforts were made to include activities and suggestions for users with special needs. Reading levels of the activities may be adjusted to accommodate the needs of various age groups.

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What kind of training does Career Kokua provide and how do I get Career Kokua training?
Staff training is required for all personnel who are responsible for the implementation and integration of Career Kokua at a user site. Career Kokua provides regional trainings and workshops each Fall. Requests for on-site training can also be accommocated. The Training Schedule is published in the Career Kokua newsletter or contact Career Kokua at 587-5515 or hcids@rs.dlir.state.hi.us for more information.

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How can I get Career Kokua for my school or organization?
Your school or organization must subscribe to Career Kokua. See the Career Kokua Price Schedule and contact Career Kokua at 587-5515 or hcids@rs.dlir.state.hi.us for price quotes and recommendations on software and materials.

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How much does Career Kokua cost?
The Department of Labor & Industrial Relations funds universal access to Career Kokua. Fees for microcomputer software and publications vary depending on the number of students and clients to be served and the number of software packages and publications needed to provide adequate career resources at a site. See the Career Kokua Price and contact Career Kokua at 587-5515 or hcids@rs.dlir.state.hi.us for price quotes and recommendations on software and materials.

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