Teaching Curriculum: Career Development Course

This curriculum is designed to guide high school students in exploring career possibilities, developing essential skills, and connecting with real-world experiences. Through a conversational learning approach, students engage in activities that prioritize dialogue, reflection, and collaboration. The teacher’s role is to facilitate discussions, provide support, and create an interactive and inclusive environment. This course is designed to be taught at a slower pace but feel free to move as fast or as slow as the cohort needs. 

Course Objectives

1. Explore Careers: Help students discover diverse career paths and connect their personal interests to professional opportunities.  

2. Develop Skills: Equip students with career-readiness skills such as goal setting, resume building, and interview techniques.  

3. Foster Engagement: Encourage meaningful participation through timeline posts, group discussions, and interactive activities.  

4. Promote Resilience: Allow students to fail, learn, and retry through activities like mock interviews and quizzes.  

5. Connect to the Community: Conclude with field trips to expose students to career possibilities in their area.  

LESSON 1: Who are You?

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1.1 Who are You? (Video)

Objective: Students will reflect on their personal interests and goals, beginning their journey of career exploration.

Introduction, Icebreakers and Assessment

It is important to remember that some students may be reluctant to share, and that’s okay. This is why the icebreaker activity is vital. For students who are more introverted, be sure to give them a positive shoutout during the game portion. This encouragement can serve as a stepping stone to help them become more comfortable and open in the future.

Materials Needed: Games Page access, discussion prompts, whiteboard/flip chart, and markers.  

1. Welcome and Course Overview:

• Introduce the course and explain the goals.  

• Share an example of your career journey to establish rapport.  

2. Icebreaker Activities (Choose One):

   – Games Page: Students play one game for 5 minutes. Teacher verifies scores, and the highest scorer wins a small prize (e.g., recognition, classroom perks).  

• Discussion-Based Icebreakers:**  

• “What’s a dream job you had as a child, and how has it changed?”  

• “Share one interesting fact about yourself that relates to a job you might want.”  

3. Who are you video:

• Prompt: Have students watch the who are you video. Let them know there will be a quiz after the video is over. The quiz is very simple but it is meant to reinforce the importance of goals.

• Students can take notes while the video is playing. 

• Student should have seen the acronym S.M.A.R.T goals. Which stands for

• Specific (is the goal too vague where it’s endanger of just being a wish)
• Measurable (is the goal too vague where I don’t know if I’ve achieved it)
• Achievable (is the goal one that can be completed in a reasonable amount of time)
• Time Bound (how long will the goal take to achieve)

1.2 Video Quiz

4. Who are You Video Quiz:  

• Reassure to all of your student that they can do it. The quiz is 2 questions with the same S.M.A.R.T answer

• Use examples to show how hobbies or skills can translate to the workforce.  

Assessment:  

• Participation in icebreaker and quiz.

END LESSON

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LESSON 2: SELF ASSESSMENT AND FUTURE

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2.1 Self Assessment

Objective: Students will take a career assessment. discuss the results as a cohort and do the same thing for the future you.

Career Assessment  

Objective: Students research careers and begin connecting their interests to real-world opportunities.  

Lesson Plan: 

1. Introduction:  

   Explaining Career Assessments to Students

Teacher Script:

“Today, we’re going to talk about something really important: career assessments. These are tools that can help you figure out what types of jobs might be a great fit for you based on who you are as a person.

Think of a career assessment like a map. If you’re not sure where you’re going, a map can help point you in the right direction. Career assessments do the same thing by helping you understand your interests, strengths, and even your personality traits.

For example, let’s say you love working with your hands and solving problems. A career assessment might suggest careers in engineering, construction, or technology. Or, if you’re someone who enjoys helping others and working in teams, it might suggest careers in healthcare or education.

By taking a career assessment, you’re not just finding out what you’re good at — you’re also learning about jobs you may not have thought of before. And the best part? Once you have an idea of what careers match your interests and skills, you can start setting goals to get there.

So, as we go through this process, think about what makes you excited, what you’re naturally good at, and where you’d like to see yourself in the future. This is all about helping you find opportunities that feel right for you.”

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2. Activity:  

   – Students complete an online career interest survey.  

   – Pair students to share their results and discuss how they feel about the matches.  

Note to Teachers: Some students may not like their career assessment results or may not understand the suggested jobs. Take time to explore their reactions—asking why they feel this way can help refine their career interests and guide them toward options they’re more excited about.

3. Group Discussion:  

   – Facilitate a conversation on surprising or confirming results.  

   – Ask: “Which careers on your list seem most exciting? Why?”  

4. Reflection:

   – Students write down three potential career paths they want to explore further.  

Assessment:  

– Completion of survey and written reflections.  

– Active participation in discussions.  

Objective: Students visualize their future and articulate their aspirations. Students will discuss as a cohort their goals.  

End Lesson:

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2.2 Future you  

• Have a student read the future you paragraph.  

• Explain the importance of envisioning your self in the future  

Here are some percentage-based insights on the benefits of visualization, particularly in career and personal growth contexts:

1. Increased Success Rates: Studies suggest that individuals who visualize their goals are up to 42% more likely to achieve them when combined with written plans. Visualization helps clarify goals and align actions toward achieving them.
2. Improved Performance: Athletes and professionals using visualization techniques report up to 80% improvement in performance outcomes. Visualizing success allows the brain to simulate the action, enhancing confidence and preparedness.
3. Higher Goal Achievement: Visualization combined with practical actions can boost achievement rates by up to 30% compared to those who rely on action alone

• results found by Stanford Career Education Model

2. Activity: 

• Students write a paragraph describing their life 10 years from now, focusing on their career, lifestyle, and accomplishments. Have students write on their timeline their goal
• Students need to be as descriptive as possible 

• Post their vision on the timeline.  

3. Peer Engagement:

• Students comment positively on two peers’ timeline posts.  

• Teacher facilitates a group discussion, asking questions like:  

     – “What common themes do you see in these visions?”  

     – “What excites you about your peers’ aspirations?”  

4. Wrap-Up:  

• Reinforce the idea that everyone’s path is unique and valid.  

Assessment:

• Quality of timeline posts and peer comments (see rubric).  

• Participation in group discussions.  

End Lesson

LESSON 3: Resume Building

 

Objective:Encourage students to sign up for a free Canva account to design their resumes. Walk them through selecting templates, customizing content, and ensuring their resumes highlight their strengths, skills, and accomplishments. Emphasize that creating a Canva account will also allow students to build portfolios, work on creative projects, and develop personal branding materials in the future.  

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Identifying Skills 

Lesson Plan

Teacher Script:

“Let’s talk about transferable skills—these are abilities and traits you’ve developed in your life that employers value, even if you haven’t had a job before. For example, if you’ve played football, you’ve already built skills like teamwork(working with others toward a common goal), discipline (sticking to practice schedules), and being goal-oriented(focused on winning games).

Think about other activities you’ve been involved in—school clubs, volunteering, helping at home, or even personal hobbies. Did you communicate with others? Solve problems? Manage your time? Those are all examples of transferable skills! These are the kinds of qualities employers are looking for.

So, as we work on resumes or prepare for interviews, I want you to think about how your experiences can translate into these valuable skills that will set you apart.”

Activity:

• Students list 10 skills based on personal experiences (e.g., babysitting = leadership).  

• Translate these into professional terms (e.g., “managing family schedules”).  

Group Activity: 

   – Share skills in small groups and brainstorm how to describe them professionally.  

**Assessment:**  

– Completion of skill list and group participation.

Achievement and Education  

Objective:
Students will learn how to highlight their achievements and educational background on a resume. They will understand the importance of including personal accomplishments and ongoing education, even if they haven’t graduated yet.

1. Introduction (5 minutes):

• Briefly explain that a resume is a document that summarizes one’s experience, education, and skills to potential employers.
• Emphasize the two sections we’ll focus on today: Achievements and Education.

1. Discussion: Achievement (10 minutes):

• Define achievement: Anything you’ve done that shows you went above and beyond expectations.
• Encourage students to think about personal accomplishments in school, extracurricular activities, volunteer work, or any special recognition they have received (e.g., “Student of the Month,” “Most Improved,” leadership roles in school clubs, etc.).
• Prompt: Ask students if they have ever received any superlatives, awards, or special honors. Explain that superlatives or awards are great things to include on a resume.
  • Example: “Best Team Player” or “Highest GPA in class” or “Best Volunteer at Event.”
• Activity: Have students list any achievements they can remember and help them understand how to phrase it in resume-friendly language.
  • Example: “Awarded ‘Best Team Player’ for leadership and collaboration during school project.”
• Provide time for students to fill out their Achievement Reflection Worksheet.

1. Discussion: Education (10 minutes):

• Define education: It’s important to show where you are in your educational journey, even if you haven’t graduated yet.
• Prompt: Ask students to consider where they are in their education right now (e.g., currently attending high school, GED program, or college).
• Encourage students to include current education status. Even if they haven’t finished, it’s important to show they are actively working toward a goal.
  • Example: “Currently attending XYZ High School, expected graduation in 2025.”
  • If students are in a GED program or other educational settings, guide them on how to phrase it:
  • Example: “Pursuing GED, expected completion 2024.”
• Activity: Have students list their current educational background and ensure they know how to format it for their resume.

1. Writing Activity: Resume Creation (10 minutes):

• Provide students with a basic resume template.
• Have students fill out the Achievements and Education sections based on what they have written in the reflection worksheets.
• Walk around and provide one-on-one support, ensuring they feel confident about their entries.

1. Wrap-Up and Reflection (5 minutes):

• Review the importance of including achievements (even if they’re not job-related) and current education status on a resume.
• Encourage students to continuously update their resumes as they accomplish new achievements and make progress in their education.
• Optional: Offer to help students review and refine their resumes in the future.

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Assessment:

• Observe students as they complete the activities and provide feedback on their resume entries.
• At the end of the lesson, ask a few students to share one achievement and one educational experience they added to their resume.

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Homework (Optional):

• Have students continue to work on their resumes at home, adding additional sections like skills or volunteer work, and bring the updated version to the next class for review.

This lesson helps students understand that their accomplishments and ongoing education are valuable, even if they don’t have a completed degree or job experience. Would you like any additional activities to further enhance this lesson?

Lesson End

Interview Preparation