Lesson Plans

Lesson Plans focus on career development competencies in areas of self-knowledge and career planning, occupational and education exploration, and job search. Each Lesson Plan contains five sections that correspond with the National Career Development Guidelines, as well as links to career-based articles. Lesson plans are specifically designed to assist career professionals with students and clients in the career exploration process. The five sections are broken down into: 1. Focus & Review ~ states the focus of the lesson plan and highlights the review process. 2. Statement of Objectives ~ states the objectives the participant is to learn. 3. Teacher Input ~ outlines ways to instruct participants in completing the activity. 4. Guided Practice ~ highlights discussion points for groups. 5. Closure ~ states suggestions for completion of activity.

In some instances, Technology Connections are provided. These connections are just one more way for facilitators to link online and other technology to the lesson plan. Just look for the technology icon.

Worksheets are pre-made career development activities for students and clients to further explore careers and interests. Activity answers will vary depending on participants' self assessments and answers to questions about individual interests. By completing activities, participants are actively engaged in seeking out career resources. This assists in better acquainting individuals with the tools and resources available to them.

Activities & Worksheets

This logo represents ISEEK or MnCareers-produced activities. Feel free to adapt these exercises according to your needs.

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Lesson Plan: Career Clusters in MnCareers

MATERIALS: Copy of 2010 MnCareers Description of career pathways framework (page 20 of MnCareers; www.iseek.org/guide/counselors/counselorclusters.html) 1. FOCUS AND REVIEW Use MnCareers to demonstrate to participants: 1. The availability of career information. 2. The connection between education and career goals. 3. How occupations are classified for easy retrieval of information. 2. STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES Participants will understand the relationship between education and work. Participants will learn how to locate, evaluate and interpret career information. Participants will learn methods of classifying occupations. 3. TEACHER INPUT Ask participants in large or small groups to list as many occupations they can think (20-30 occupations). Write these on the chalk board or paper. Define career fields or clusters as an organizational system of classifying careers. Discuss how clustering occupations can aid in career research. Return to the list of careers and discuss different ways the careers could be clustered. Instruct the class to find a career cluster from MnCareers that is of interest to them. 4. GUIDED PRACTICE Briefly discuss what information is in the occupational headings of MnCareers occupations, work definitions, interest profiles, wages, education and job outlook. Discuss education requirements for various occupations. 5. CLOSURE Inform students where further career information and resources are located (many national and Minnesota-specific resources are listed in MnCareers). Also discuss with students about the role of the Internet in career information, and encourage them to locate information online to share at a later time.

CareerOneStop (www.careeronestop.org) ISEEK (www.iseek.org) Connections: MCIS (license required: http://mncis.intocareers.org) e-folio Minnesota (www.efoliominnesota.com) Technology

Adapted from: Career Choices in North Carolina, 2003 Career Development and Users Guide, Youth edition [State Occupational Information Coordinating Committee] 2010 MnCareers Facilitator Guide Page 63

Lesson Plan: Career Decision-Making

ARTICLES: 7 Steps to Decision-Making (Facilitator Guide pg. 10) Career Decision-Making (Facilitator Guide pg. 49) Career Planning Myths (Facilitator Guide pg. 51) Educational Planning Myths (Facilitator Guide pg. 130)

1. FOCUS AND REVIEW Present decision-making as: 1. A necessary life skill to be developed before leaving high school. 2. Something that is individual and unique. 2. STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES Participants will identify the seven steps to decision-making. Participants will apply this model to everyday decision-making as it relates to career decisions. 3. TEACHER INPUT Plan an activity that requires students to set goals. Re-visit that goal during various times in the semester to determine whether the goal is still important and if appropriate time has been dedicated to its completion. Set short-term goals for the students to experience the goal-setting process. 4. GUIDED PRACTICE Discuss both Career and Educational Planning Myths. Have each student learn the seven steps to decision-making as they apply to ordinary, everyday events, and how they apply to career decisionmaking. 5. CLOSURE Encourage students who have difficulty with decisions to talk with a school counselor for further assistance. Often poor decision-making is more than the lack of a model to follow and can be a warning of poor self-esteem. Many students require lots of assistance with college and career decisions while others are able to move quickly through the process. Keep this lesson positive with information on how to seek further assistance at your school with quality state career resources. (See resources: MCIS, ISEEK, MOHE, etc)

Adapted from: Career Choices in North Carolina, 2005-2006 Career Development and Users Guide, Youth edition [State Occupational Information Coordinating Committee]

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Lesson Plan: Nontraditional Careers

Materials: Career Profiles found in MnCareers (MnCareers pgs. 24-96); Nontraditional Employment (MnCareers pgs. 13). Nontraditional Careers on ISEEK (www.iseek.org/careers/nontraditional.html) Budgeting Basics (Worksheet #35A, page 171) Create a Personal Budget (Worksheet #36, page 173)

1. FOCUS AND REVIEW Define nontraditional careers. Divide participants into groups. Have each group create two lists: Nontraditional careers for women and nontraditional careers for men. Can also discuss nontraditional careers for cultural groups. Discuss factors that might have impacted their list choices. 2. STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES Participants will access career development resources. Participants will use labor market information to set personal goals. Participants will identify skills needed for occupations. Participants will consider nontraditional career opportunities. 3. TEACHER INPUT Review Monthly Budget exercise with students (Worksheets #38 and 39). Review Career Profiles found in MnCareers (pgs. 24-96). Highlight profiles of nontraditional occupations for men and women. Highlight skill sets of nontraditional careers. Review labor market trends such as growing or shrinking occupations at: www.iseek.org/careers/indemand.html or www.PositivelyMinnesota.com 4. GUIDED PRACTICE Select an example of a nontraditional career for a male and a female (or for a cultural group). Create a chart for the group identifying the education and salary level for each. Have each group create a chart and answer the following questions: 1. How do the educational requirements differ between jobs traditionally for men or women? 2. What is the skill set used for each occupation? 3. How do salary levels differ between nontraditional careers for men and women? 4. Which nontraditional career(s) does each member of the group find personally interesting? 5. CLOSURE Have each group report their findings.

Adapted from: Career Choices in North Carolina, 2005-2006 Career Development and Users Guide, Youth edition [State Occupational Information Coordinating Committee]

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Worksheet #10: Career Research

career of your choice.

Directions: Use information in MnCareers and additional resources to answer these questions about a

Title of Occupation: _________________________________________________________________ 1. Description of the occupation including main duties and responsibilities. __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. What are the education and training requirements for the occupation? __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. List other required qualifications such as licensing, certifications, etc. __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. What is the average wage or salary for this occupation? __________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. What is the employment outlook for this occupation? __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 6. List the places and work environments where people in this occupation might work. __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 7. What are the opportunities for advancement? __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 8. List other occupations that are similar or related. __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________
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Worksheet #10, continued

9. Is this occupation available in your area? List companies or other places of employment in your area in which this occupation is located. __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 10. What school subjects or courses would help you to prepare for this occupation? __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 11. Does this occupation deal mainly with people, data, things or ideas? __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 12. Do you think you have the aptitude (potential ability) for this occupation? __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 13. This occupation interests you because: __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 14. List three resources (books, magazines, computerized information, etc.) used for this research. __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 15. List the name and title of a person(s) that helped you locate this information. __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________ 16. List the name of a person(s) you know (or know of) who is in this occupation. __________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________

Adapted from: Career Choices in North Carolina, 2005-2006 Career Development and Users Guide, Youth edition [State Occupational Information Coordinating Committee] 2010 MnCareers Facilitator Guide Page 67

Worksheet #11: Career Informational Interview

Directions: Select someone working in an interesting occupation to interview in person or on the phone.
Spend at least 20 minutes talking with the individual and gathering information about his or her career and the occupation. Suggested questions are listed below. You can add questions related to your interests and concerns. 1. How long have you worked in this occupation? 2. What other types of jobs did you have before? 3. In this job, do you mainly work with people, data, things or ideas? 4. What do you like most about your job? 5. What are the most frequently recurring problems on your job? 6. How did you get started in this line of work? 7. What type of training is needed for this occupation today? 8. What type of technology do you use? (computer hardware, software, etc.) 9. What changes have you seen in the past few years that affect this career path? 10. What personal qualities do you feel are needed to succeed in this career path? 11. 12. 13. 14. 15.

Keep the answers to informational interviews in your career portfolio.

Adapted from: Career Choices in North Carolina, 2005-2006 Career Development and Users Guide, Youth edition [State Occupational Information Coordinating Committee] 2010 MnCareers Facilitator Guide Page 68

Worksheet #12: Skills Scavenger Hunt

Do you know that workers use the same skills on their jobs as students do in school? Directions: Select someone to interview who has been working in the same job for a few years. Ask him or her the following questions concerning skills they use on the job:
1. What is your job title? 2. What kinds of things do you read at work? 3. What kind of writing do you do? 4. What roles do speaking and listening have in your job? 5. What kind of math is used on your job? 6. Does your company have customers or work with people in different counties, cities, states or countries? Examples? 7. How are major decisions made in your department? Examples: 8. Are you a problem-solver at work? Could you give an example? 9. What technology do you use to accomplish your job? 10. What machines do you operate on your job? 11. Do you teach others as part of your job? 12. Are you trained in other jobs at the same worksite? 13. Where did you learn the skills needed for your job?

FOLLOW UP ACTIVITY
Combine the results of all the students' interviews into a master list for display. Make one list for each question and title each sheet with the skill. List the examples the various people told the students. *Note for teachers: The objective is for students to explore skills (rather than occupations) on a field trip or shadowing experience.
Adapted from: Career Choices in North Carolina, 2005-2006 Career Development and Users Guide, Youth edition [State Occupational Information Coordinating Committee] 2010 MnCareers Facilitator Guide Page 69

Worksheet #13: Career Planning List

Directions: Check the things that you have completed in your career-planning process.
HAVE YOU:

____ Taken an interest assessment or inventory? ____ Taken an aptitude or abilities test? ____ Used the Internet or a computerized career information system? ____ Read books about careers or goal setting? ____ Interviewed someone in an occupation of interest to you? ____ Attended a Job Fair or Career Day? ____ Talked to college admissions representatives? ____ Talked to military recruiters? ____ Looked at college or continuing education catalogs? ____ Talked about your career or college plans with your family or mentor? ____ Gone on a job shadow or work site visit? ____ Discussed your career or college plans with a school/career counselor or advisor? ____ Prepared a resume? ____ Visited schools you are interested in attending?
Look at your list. What things do you still need to accomplish? Make plans to do these when appropriate. High school students can use the Junior & Senior Timelines (Facilitator Guide pgs. 131-132) to help stay on task and organized.
Adapted from: Career Choices in North Carolina, 2005-2006 Career Development and Users Guide, Youth edition [State Occupational Information Coordinating Committee] 2010 MnCareers Facilitator Guide Page 70

Worksheet #14: Career Planning Activities

The following is a list of career planning activities. Some of them you might have already work on, while others you are just starting. Place a check ( ) next to an activity you've accomplished and summarize what you learned. Choose five activities you have not completed. Use MnCareers and other resources to determine how you can begin to work on each activity. Be sure to add this information to your portfolio.

( ) write in date when completed

Took an interest assessment or inventory What I learned: Took an aptitude or abilities test What I learned:

Used an online system to research occupations & schools (like ISEEK or MCIS) What I learned:

Informally interviewed someone in an occupation I find interesting What I learned:

Read books about careers and goal setting What I learned:

Attended a job fair or career day What I learned:

Talked to a college admissions representative What I learned:

Reviewed career and educational plan with family or mentor What I learned:

Talked to a military recruiter What I learned:

Browsed catalogs from higher education institutions What I learned:

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Worksheet #14, continued

Completed a job shadow program or work site visit What I learned:

Prepared a resume What I learned:

Discussed career and educational plans with a counselor or advisor What I learned:

Used the Internet to search for career and educational resources What I learned:

Explored different forms of financial aid What I learned:

Researched different scholarships and grants to help pay for college What I learned:

Visited schools I'm interested in attending What I learned:

Interned at an interesting company What I learned:

What I learned:

What I learned:

Use this list and expand on your ideas throughout the year. Fill in the two blank spaces with additional career-planning activities not already on the list. Make sure to check each activity box after completing it and document what you learned.

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Worksheet #15: Where are the Jobs?

To find answers to the questions below, use MnCareers and ISEEK www.iseek.org/careers/indemand.html. 1. Using the information from ISEEK's "Growing Careers in Minnesota," fill in the grid below. In the first column, select four occupations with a high growth rate. In the second column, list the employment numbers (projected annual openings). Next, list growth rate and the median hourly wage. Occupation with High Growth Rate Employment Numbers Growth Rate % % % % Median Hourly Wage

2.

According to page 8 of MnCareers, what are the odds of getting hired as a pro athlete? What do these odds tell you about popular occupations in general?

3.

Many occupations in Minnesota have a large number of openings available right now. See page 11 in MnCareers or ISEEK's "Minnesota Growing Industries" and list three industries that have occupations with many openings.

4.

Why should you be interested in occupations with high vacancies when considering a career?

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Worksheet #16: Who's the Career Counselor?

Participants: Prepare for the ultimate role-play exercise in career exploration

Explorers as Career Counselors

Congratulations!
As of right now, you're a career counselor. Job seekers come to you with their hopes and dreams. Your job is to help them turn those dreams into reality. Sometimes that means recommending schools for postsecondary education or training in a specific area. Other times, it means showing individuals how to apply for financial aid. Some of your advisees don't have a clue what they want to do for a career, and it's your job to help figure it out. Your boss believes that all clients have to have some idea of what they will do when they complete your career program. "Our clients are good people, and they all need goals," he said at a recent staff meeting. "Help them get some career goals," he said, while looking right at you.

Your Task:

Counseling sessions with job seekers begin tomorrow at 9 a.m. Your boss told your advisees and their families that, as a counselor, you're responsible for developing four career and education options for each client. To do your job well, you'll need to: Get acquainted with career-planning resources on the Internet Meet each of your advisees and evaluate some basic information about him or her Fill out a form for each advisee in which you develop four possible career paths and appropriate education options for him or her *Note: As a counselor at a large job center, you have many clients to advise, so you'll have to learn quickly.

Potential Resources:

The Internet has numerous college and career-planning resources. It would be a good idea for you to familiarize yourself with some of the ones listed in 2010 MnCareers. Other resources include: the activities in the online MnCareers Facilitators Guide; MCIS Web site; ISEEK.org; GetReadyForCollege.org; and CareerOneStop.org, just to name a few. When using Internet sites, be sure to remember the URLs, and note which information you obtained from which sites, so that you can refer to them when taking with your advisees.

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Worksheet #16, continued

The Process:
The counseling sessions have begun! Clients are waiting outside the counseling office in four lines. The head counselor will tell you which students are yours. After meeting with individual advisees, answer these questions: 1. 2. 3. 4. Does the client know what he or she wants to do in the next 2-5 years of his or her life? If the client has a goal, is it realistic given the client's academic and work history? If the goal is realistic, what should the client do next? If the goal isn't realistic, what alternative career paths can you suggest that might be appropriate? (Example: The client wants to be a doctor but does not have good grades in science courses. What other options are available? Are other science or medical fields appealing? What about other careers where the client can help people?) 5. If the client doesn't know what he or she wants to do, how can you help with life direction? 6. What steps should the client take at this point in his or her career to help insure a successful future?

Written Recommendations:

Your final task is to write up a recommendation report for each of your advisees. Be sure to explain why you've chosen the options you have (for example, is it because of their academic record, personality traits, abilities, etc.?). At the end of your report, name three Web sources you found to be the most valuable in reaching your professional conclusions and why. Then be prepared to present your report orally to your peers, saying what you advised and why. It's also a good idea to jot down notes as to anything you would do differently the next time around (spend more or less time one-on-one with advisees, give advisees different assessments, research additional materials in a particular subject, etc). *Remember: The counseling staff occasionally meets around the water cooler or lunch table to exchange ideas and information. (It's OK to exchange resource ideas with other career counselors, but not gossip about your advisee's low skill level or blue hair.)

Job Performance = Evaluation:

Just like any other activity or project, you'll be evaluated on how well you did (similar to a job performance review). Most likely your instructor will base your performance on the thoroughness and creativity of the career options or school choices you suggested for your advisee. Your responses as to why you made the recommendations you did are equally important. What You Will Have Learned: Aside from developing career options for your "clients," you will now be more aware of: The need to develop some goals and plans for your life. An understanding of academic achievement and career options available. The latest career planning information resources available online.
Adapted from: FutureQuest: www.pvpusd.k12.ca.us/teachweb/twidwelll/FutureQuest.html 2010 MnCareers Facilitator Guide Page 75

Worksheet #17: Nontraditional Employment

Below is a list of examples of nontraditional occupations for men and women. Using ISEEK, locate the median hourly wage and the number of people who are currently employed in each occupation. WOMEN Nontraditional Median Occupation Wage
Biomedical Engineers Conservation Scientists Data Communications Analysts Dentists Electricians Fire Fighters Storage and Transportation Managers Sound Engineering Technicians

Current Employment

Nontraditional Occupation
Court Reporters Health Information Technicians Human Resources Assistants Meeting and Convention Planners Paralegals Registered Nurses Social Workers

MEN Median Wage

Current Employment

Special Education Teachers

1.

How do the median hourly wages compare for men and women?

2.

Name two challenges that face women working in STEM careers (or other nontraditional work).
(Visit ISEEK for help: www.iseek.org/careers/nontraditional.html)

3.

Which nontraditional occupation(s) from the chart above interests you? Why?

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Worksheet #18: Job Prospects

Find each career cluster in MnCareers. Locate the job within each cluster that has the highest employment figure and write the job title below. Circle the description that best describes the job outlook for that occupation. Job Title Career Field
Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources Architecture & Construction Arts, A/V Technology & Communications Business, Management & Administration Education & Training

Job Outlook
Caution Fair Caution Fair Caution Fair Caution Fair Caution Fair Caution Fair Caution Fair Caution Fair Caution Fair Caution Fair Caution Fair Caution Fair Caution Fair Caution Fair Good Very Good Excellent Good Very Good Excellent Good Very Good Excellent Good Very Good Excellent Good Very Good Excellent Good Very Good Excellent Good Very Good Excellent Good Very Good Excellent Good Very Good Excellent Good Very Good Excellent Good Very Good Excellent Good Very Good Excellent Good Very Good Excellent Good Very Good Excellent
Page 77

Finance Government & Public Administration Health Science

Hospitality & tourism

Human Services

Information Technology

Law, Public Safety & Security

Manufacturing Marketing, Sales & Service

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Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics Transportation, Distribution & Logistics

Caution Fair Caution Fair

Good Very Good Excellent Good Very Good Excellent

1.

Based on the information in the table above, which occupations have the best job prospects? Which are the worst?

2.

What are some reasons why you would consider these jobs? What are some reasons why you wouldn't consider them?

3.

Does an occupation with a strong outlook always mean it has good job prospects? Why or why not?

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Worksheet #19: Alternative Resources

Although 2010 MnCareers has a ton of information about careers and your future options, it is only a starting point on your journey. There are thousands of other great resources out there. MnCareers includes several pages that highlight some alternative resources available. Use the resource pages (97-126) to complete the following activity below. 1. Choose one of the resource pages in MnCareers and record it below.

(Example: "How to Job Search," page 117)

2.

For the topic you've chosen, read through all the resources listed. Choose one resource you would like to explore further. List the resource below and summarize what you expect to learn from it. Resource:

What I expect to learn:

3.

List three questions about this topic that haven't been answered by MnCareers. 1. 2. 3.

4.

Locate and use your chosen resource. What was most helpful about this resource?

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Worksheet #19, continued

5. Were your questions answered? Why or why not? Yes No

Why or Why not:

6.

What new questions did using this resource make you think of? Were you able to answer these questions with your resource? Did this resource point you to other useful resources on this topic? Which ones?

7.

MnCareers is in need of one more resource for your topic and you are the authority for locating it. The resource can be a book, organization, Web site or something else. Record the resource below. Include a title, description, and how or where to find this great new resource.

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Worksheet #20: Do I Have the Skills?

You've looked at a lot of different occupations in MnCareers. You've probably even started to pick out different careers that sound interesting to you. Do you have the skills that are needed for these occupations? Do you know all the skills needed for the occupation? MnCareers has skill information for each career cluster. (For example, skills information for Information Technology is found on page 73 under "What Skills Do You Need?") Use this skill information to complete the activity below, using the following steps: 1. Think of three different career clusters you find interesting (like Manufacturing or Law, Public Safety and Security). Record each career cluster, one in each of the tables on this page and page 86. 2. Summarize the necessary skills for each in the "Skill" column. 3. Indicate whether or not you have this skill by circling YES or NO in the "Have skill?" column. 4. If you have the skill already, explain how you acquired it. If you don't have it, explain how you could develop or gain this skill.

Career Cluster:
Skill Have skill?
Yes No Yes No Yes No

How did you gain this skill?

How could you develop this skill?

Yes No

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Worksheet #20, continued

Career Cluster:
Skill Have skill?
Yes No

How did you gain this skill?

How could you develop this skill?

Yes No

Yes No

Yes No

Career Cluster:
Skill Have skill?
Yes No

How did you gain this skill?

How could you develop this skill?

Yes No

Yes No

Yes No

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