Activity:

Career Research in your Subject Area

Time Duration:

30 minutes

Overview:

Students will engage in the career research process through a speed dating style activity designed to get them engaged in career opportunities in your subject area.
Materials: Smart phones, laptop or tablet, access to wifi, pen/pencil, paper
Prepare: 3x5 cards with jobs written on them that a student could get with education in your subject area. If the lesson will be taught in an online environment, pre-set breakout rooms dedicated to different jobs a student could get with education in your subject area.

Tip:

Alert students to an activity that will use their phones in class, advise them to bring their charged phone, tablet, or laptop to class on the day of the assignment and that they will need wifi. Advise students who cannot bring tech to class to contact you prior to the assignment. If it appears not many students will have phones (this is very unlikely) you can have them do the activity in pairs.

Procedure:

1. Provide the students with a quick overview of the California Career Zone website (www.cacareerzone.org), showing them where to click "Explore Industry Sectors" and the "Search Box"

2. Provide the students with 10 minutes to research the job using the California Career Zone website.

3. Have the students develop a short summary of the job including the following
information:

a. Average Income
b. Job Description
c. Required Education

4. Have students partner up with another student and share the information they found. Time the students only giving them 60 seconds for each student to share their information, then switch. You can do this as many times as you like, but usually 5-6 times is a good amount of turns.

Conclusion:

Have students discuss what they learned during the activity about the career opportunities. Did they learn about any new careers? Did they learn about any careers they may be interested in?