The Chicago Careers for Youth Program facilitates visits by persons working in various career clusters to classrooms to explain their jobs and the qualifications for them. The visitors serve as role models for the youth with whom they interact. The program is based on 16 career clusters that were defined by several hundred persons with careers in the clusters. Videotapes, wall charts, and booklets for each cluster were produced under contract with the state of Illinois. However, the essence of the program is appearances and presentations of the role models to the students. The school-based activity is planned in three phases: (1) career awareness--in sixth and seventh grade, students are visited by role models from eight of the clusters each year, and teachers use follow-up instructional materials; (2) career exploration--before eighth grade, students select the cluster of greatest interest to them, attend a half-day program introducing the cluster, and hear presentations from high schools about their programs and facilities; and (3) career development--three to nine high schools focus on one or more occupational clusters, present a related curriculum, and support networking with business contacts; students choose one of the high schools based on the cluster of their choice. The program is expected to be implemented in sixth through eighth grades in Chicago schools in the next 2 years, and later in the high schools. (The document includes a description of the program, a graphic depiction of the chronology of activities, and 4-year program charts for the 16 career clusters.) (KC)