Career Exploration - Vocational

Vocational

Table of Contents

Teachers

Definition: Career Exploration - Learning about different occupations and how they can be a good fit for your interests, preferences, and skills.

Key Terms:

  1. Occupation - A person’s job.
  2. Career - A job or occupation that someone does for a long period of time.
  3. Career Cluster - A group of related occupations.
  4. Career Pathways - Routes that lead to a particular Career.
  5. Vocational Assessment - A tool for finding a good match between a person’s interests and preferences to an occupation.
  6. Preferences - Something you like or choose over other things.
  7. Skills - An ability to do an activity or job well.

Discussion Points

  • Most states recognize 16 career clusters:
    1. Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources
    2. Architecture and Construction
    3. Arts, Audio/Video Technology and Communications
    4. Business, Management and Administration
    5. Education and Training
    6. Finance
    7. Government and Public Administration
    8. Health Science
    9. Hospitality and Tourism
    10. Human Services
    11. Information Technology
    12. Law, Public Safety, Corrections and Security
    13. Manufacturing
    14. Marketing, Sales and Service
    15. Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
    16. Transportation, Distribution and Logistics
  • When choosing a career, you should take into consideration important things such as: Your interests, preferences, skills, job availability, education needed, salary/wage, etc.
  • It is good practice to take several different career assessments throughout the course of a year in case your interests, skills, or preferences change.

Activity 1: Career Inventory Assessment

Teacher can project the lesson onto screen and go through the process step by step with students.

Materials Needed:
  • Computer or laptop for each student with printing capability
  • projector/ screen.
  1. Go to https://portal.njcis.intocareers.org/
  2. Click on “NJ Resident” found in the brown box to lower right of page
  3. Use drop down to choose Brick, then type in zip code 08723
  4. Go to the red bar at the top of the page and hover over (do not click on) “Assessments”
  5. Click on “What are my interests?”
  6. Click on “Career Cluster Inventory”
  7. Read each question and choose between “like very much”, “like”, “dislike”, or “not sure” for each question
  8. At the end of the assessment (80 questions) click “Get Results”
  9. This page is VERY Important!!! Print a copy of results or copy and paste results into a document. Students will need to refer to results for Activity Two.
  10. Students will choose the top 3 career clusters from their results and watch the video on each

Activity 2: Choosing Occupations

Have students go through the process below and complete Student Activity Sheet A.

Materials Needed:
  • Computer or laptop for each student with printing capability
  • projector/ screen.
  • Students Activity Sheet A
  1. Go to https://portal.njcis.intocareers.org/
  2. Click on NJ Resident in the brown box in lower right corner
  3. Choose Brick from drop down, type zip code 08723
  4. Go to "Occupations" in red bar on top
  5. Go to "What Can I Learn About Occupations?"
  6. Click on "Choosing Occupations"
  7. Choose one of your "top 3 career clusters" from Activity 1
  8. Choose two occupations from that career cluster. Watch the short video on it, then answer the questions on Activity Sheet A.

Activity 3: Name the Career

Students can work independently or with a partner to name as many careers that start with each of the following letters (i.e., A = artist, B= baker) within a designated amount of time. Award one point for each career, then total points to determine the winning team or individual.

Materials Needed:
  • Student Activity Sheet B
  • writing utensil.

Script Writing and Animation

Script Prompt: Pair students and have them take turns creating a movie clip where one student chooses a career they are interested in, and the other student uses the questions below to try to guess the career their partner chose. (Then switch) Students should name and record their scripts using SiLAS software, and save the final movie.

Materials Needed:
  • Script sheet for each group
  • Pencil for each student
    •
  1. Is your career mostly indoor or outdoors?
  2. Do you work mainly alone or with others?
  3. Do you work with customers or patients?
  4. Do you have to travel for this career?
  5. Do you work with money in this career?
  6. Do you need a college degree for this career?
  7. Do you have to wear a uniform?
  8. Do you spend a lot of time on a computer for this career?
  9. Does this career require you to work on some holidays ?
  10. Do you mainly sit or stand with this career?

Lesson Review

Allow students to complete the student lesson review sheet. Discuss answers when finished.

Materials Needed:
  • Student Lesson Review Sheet - 1 per student
  • Pencil for each student
    •

Students

Go to only student curriculum

Student Activity Sheet A

Directions: Complete the questions below.

1. What is the first occupation you chose?

2. What is the average wage or salary for that occupation?

3. What type of education do you need for that occupation?

4. Is that occupation showing upcoming growth in positions?

5. What is the second occupation you chose?

6. What is the average wage or salary for that occupation?

7. What type of education do you need for that occupation?

8. Is that occupation showing upcoming growth in positions?

Student Activity Sheet B

Career Alphabet Game

Directions: Name as many careers that start with each of the following letters (i.e., A = artist, B = baker) within a designated amount of time. Award one point for each career, then total points to determine the winning team or individual.


A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

X

Y

Z

Student Lesson Review Sheet

Directions: To check your understanding of the lesson, answer the following questions.

1. What is the difference between an occupation and a career?

2. How many career clusters are there?

3. Name two job preferences you have (i.e., working indoors/outdoors, alone or with others etc.)

4. What was your top career cluster match that was indicated in the results of your career assessment?

5. Was the result of your career assessment compatible with your interests? Please describe why or why not: