Career Guidance 8: Activity Guide - Module 4: Career Awareness, Exploration, and Planning

Career Awareness, Exploration,and Planning

Activity 1: Learning About Me and Occupations

Foundational Objectives:
Awareness and knowledge of the interrelationships of life roles.
Awareness and knowledge of different occupations and knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to access, understand and use occupational information.
Learning Objectives:
The student will:
identify various ways that occupations can be classified.

C.E.L.s: COM, CCT, IL, PSVS, NUM, TL,
Materials:
paper
handout No. 1 "Occupation Grouping"
pencil or pen
handout No. 2 "Party Groups"
student journals
handout No. 3 "Holland Code Information Sheets"
handout No. 4 "Occupational Map Activities"
handout No. 5 "Data, People, Things Checklist"

Time: Three class periods.
Activity:
Session 1 -
Have students complete the occupational groupings handout, either individually or in pairs.
With student input, develop a list of workers for each category and have students add these to their lists.
Ask students to identify other categories that could be used to group occupations. Use the following examples to stimulate thought.
(a) occupations requiring shift work,
(b) workers who supervise others,
(c) workers who fix things.
Point out that while the previous lesson showed that one must consider on-the-job tasks when looking at occupations, this lesson demonstrates that occupations can be grouped or clustered. Like a family, jobs can be related to each other. Have students suggest and record four jobs for each of the categories suggested in Activity 3.
Have students complete the following statement in their journals:
I learned that ...

Session 2 -
Tell students they are at a party and while they know everyone, the people they usually spend time with have not arrived and so they have no choice but to join one of the six groups in the room, the one they would feel most comfortable joining.
Distribute the `Party Groups' handout explaining that the people in each group are described on it in order to help them choose which group they will join. Have students read the descriptions and put the Roman Numeral I by their first choice. Have them indicate a second and then a third choice in the same manner.
Explain that the students have just finished categorizing themselves according to a system called the Holland Codes. Point out that the system was developed after several years of studying and talking to people in hundreds of different jobs.
Have students enter the Holland Code for each group in the space provided.

Realistic
Investigate

Artistic
Social

Enterprising
Conventional

Explain that in this system the first letter of the word is used to identify the code and that each code consists of three letters -- their first, second, and third choices -- and must be recorded in order of preference. Have students record their code in the space provided.
Use student codes to point out that, while more than one person will have the same three letters in his/her code, the order in which they occur will be different because each of them is unique, and their preferences are a reflection of this.
Explain that Canada Employment and others use the Holland Codes to describe jobs. Add that, in describing jobs, the codes are also in order of importance in relation to the job.
In groups of four or five, have students list five jobs that they think people in the party groups might have. With student input, develop a master list. As appropriate, explain why some jobs may be in more than one category.
Distribute and allow students to look at the `Holland Code Information' handout.
Have students develop a `Job Interests' lists in their notebooks, paying particular attention to those which match their Holland Codes.
Have students complete the `Occupational Map' handout. Determine whether this verifies their Holland Code preferences and explain the reasons.

Session 3 -
Explain to students that in this class they are going to look at themselves in terms of their preferences for Data, People, and Things. After determining that students understand the meaning of these terms, have them think about which of the three is their preference while distributing the `Data, People, Things' checklist. Have them indicate their preference in the space provided and complete the checklist.
Have students total the check marks in each column in the space provided. Explain that column 1 is Data, 2 is People and 3 is Things and have them indicate this on their sheets. Explain that the column with the highest number indicates their preference and ask if this matches the preference they had written at the top of the sheet.
Explain that one is never totally a Data, People or Things person, that preferences may vary -- as in this checklist -- according to the choices available and the circumstances. Emphasize, however, that it is important for students to be conscious of the fact that, as they get older, have more experiences, and work at different jobs, their preferences may become stronger or change. Point out that there are jobs where working with People, Data or Things is the main task. Emphasize this point by asking how many students think they would be quite happy in a job where there were very few opportunities --
except perhaps at coffee break or lunch -- to talk with other people. Ask how many would be happy if they had to spend their day working on a machine (e.g., computer, telephone switchboard, automobile).
Distribute and go over the Data, People, Things Information handout.
Have students examine selected jobs from the Subjects and Careers lesson to identify them as primarily Data, People, or Things jobs and, as appropriate, add to the `Job Interests' in their notebook.

Additional Activities:
Have students list all of the activities in which they engaged on the weekend and determine which is more prominent -- Data, People, or Things. Compare this with in-class results.
Have students make a collage of occupations in various Holland Code areas or grouping according to Data, People, or Things.
Evaluation:

Resources:

For printing and copying this template Requires Acrobat Reader (click on the table title)

Occupational Groupings
Name: ___________________________________ Grade: __________ Date: __________

Workers who wear a special kind of hat.

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

Workers who use a ladder.

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

________________________________________

Workers who must have a university degree.

________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________

Workers who help others with health problems.

________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________

Workers who need a special license.

________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________

Workers who travel a lot.

________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________

Workers who use a computer.

________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________

Source: Making career decisions by Collins, Studd and Wallace. Copyright 1984. Used by permission of Nelson Canada, A Division of Thomson Canada Limited.
Grade 8 Module: Career Awareness, Exploration, and Planning
Handout No. 1 "Occupational Groupings"
For printing and copying this template Requires Acrobat Reader (click on the table title)

Party Groups
Name: ____________________________________ Grade: _________ Date: __________
Preference

___________

___________

___________

___________

___________

___________

Group 1 _______________

These people are atheltic, enjoy fixing things and working with a variety of machines and tools. They also like plants, animals, and being outdoors. If the class were putting on a play, these are the people who would build the set, gather and look after the props and make the costumes.

Group 2 _______________

These people are especially good at solving problems. They are very observant. They read a lot and remember details others would forget. On a walk or a bike, they wouldn't choose the path they had followed before; they would rather take one that they hadn't gone down before.

Group 3 _______________

These people enjoy entertaining other people, but they're very sensitive. They do not mind making speeches, acting in plays or putting together a skit for a variety show. Some of them may be talented in art, music or creative writing. They're the people who participate on 'dress up' day, submit designs for the school-crest contest, or enter an essay contest.

Group 4 _______________

These people like to help others and work with them. They're friendly, outgoing and know lots of people. Some of them may coach teams or tutor other students. They are especially good at explaining things to other people and do so with patience. If someone, is feeling unhappy or sick, these people would be the first to notice and offer to help.

Group 5 _______________

These people are the "doers." They're enthusiastic and like to organize things - dances, winter carnivals, fund raising -- or keep them on track. They can be especially good at encouraging other people to do things; they always seem to find the right words. If your school had a chocolate bar campaign, these would be the top salesperson.

Group 6 _______________

These people can be counted on. Give them a job to do, some direction, and they won't let you down. They're probably the scorekeepers or statisticians for the basketball team, or the ones who volunteer to take the notes at a meeting or in a discussion. If you wanted someone to help you organize your record collection, you'd probably ask one of these people.

My Code is _________,_________,________

Source: Bolles, Richard Nelson. What color is your parachute: A practical manual for job-hunters and career changers. Berkeley, CA.: Ten Speed Press, 1986.
Grade 8 Module: Career Awareness, Exploration, and Planning
Handout No. 2 "Party Groups"

Holland Code Information Sheets
REALISTIC
Characteristics:
Hands-on people who enjoy exploring things, fixing things, making things with their hands
Express themselves and achieve primarily through their bodies rather than through words, thoughts, feelings
Usually independent, practical, strong, well co-ordinated, aggressive, conservative
Like the challenge of physical risk, being outdoors, using tools and machinery
Prefer concrete rather than abstract problems
Solve problems by doing something physical

INVESTIGATIVE
Characteristics:
Persons who 'live' very much in their minds
Unconventional and independent thinkers, intellectually curious, very insightful, logical, and persistent
Express themselves and achieve primarily through their minds rather than through association with people or involvement with things
Like to explore ideas through reading, discussing
Enjoy complex and abstract mental challenges
Solve problems by thinking and analyzing
Jobs:
jeweller, X-ray technician, farmer, fisherman, construction worker, florist, surveyor, air traffic controller, police officer, landscaper, truck driver, firefighter, prison guard, game warden, gardener, welder, food service worker, kennel operator

Jobs: inventor, financial analyst, archaeologist, reserach scientist, lab technician, meterologist, astronomer, geologist, forensic, scientist, optometrist, pharmacist, dietician, consumer advocate, naval architect

Grade 8 Module: Career Awareness, Exploration, and Planning
Handout No. 3 "Holland Code Information Sheets"

Holland Code Information Sheets (continued)
ARTISTIC

Characteristics:
Persons who are creative, sensitive, asethetic, introspective, intuitive, visionary
See new possibilities and want to express them in creative ways
Particularly attuned to perception of colour, form, sound, feeling
Prefer to work alone and independently rather than with others
Enjoy beauty, variety, the unusual in sight, sound, word, texture
Need fairly unstructured environment to provide opportunities for creative expression
Solve problems by creating something new
SOCIAL
Characteristics:
People persons who 'live' primarily in their feelings
Sensitive to others, genuine, humanistic, supportive, responsible, tactful, perceptive
Focus on people and their concerns rather than on things or deep intellectural activity
Enjoy closeness with others, sharing feelings, being in groups, unstructured settings that allow for flexibility and humaneness
Solve problems primarily by feeling ad intuition, by helping
Jobs
photographer, set designer, interior decorator, artist, musician, actor/actress, composer, choreographer, theatre, critic, architect, cartoonist, illustrator, journalist, broadcaster, director, model

Jobs
teacher, speech therapist, social worker, psychologist, day-care worker, nurse, personnel, manager, recreation director, urban planner, sociologist, dietician, hairdresser

Grade 8 Module: Career Awareness, Exploration, and Planning
Handout No. 3 "Holland Code Information Sheets"

Holland Code Information Sheets (continued)
ENTERPRISING

Characteristics:
Project persons who are thoroughly absorbed in their involvements
Energetic, enthusiastic, confident, dominant, political, verbal, assertive, quick decision-makers
Leaders who are talented at organizing, persuading, managing
Achieve primarily by using these skills in dealing with people and projects
Enjoy money, power, and status, being in charge
Solve problems by risking
CONVENTIONAL
Characteristics:
Persons who 'live' primarily in their orderliness
Quiet, careful, accurate, responsible, practical, perserving, well-organized, and task-oriented
Have strong need to feel secure and certain, to get things finished, to attend to every detail
Jobs:
politican, advertising agent, sports promoter, salesperson, television producer, real estate agent, stock broker, fashion merchandiser, business executive, labour relations officer, purchase agent

Jobs:
secretary, stock room attendant, bookkepper, telephone operator, accountant, executive secretary, legal assistant, medical records clerk, court reporter, bank manager, payroll clerk, receptionist, computer operator

Source: Junior high school career guidance, New Brunswick, Department of Education, 1988.
Grade 8 Module: Career Awareness, Exploration, and Planning
Handout No. 3 "Holland Code Information Sheets"

Occupational Map Activities
Name: ____________________________ Grade: _____ Date: __________

INSTRUCTIONS:
Circle the eight activities below that you think you would most enjoy.

Design furniture
Be a school counsellor
Work with salesperson
Organize files and cabinets
Work outside
Design electronic equipment
Work in a photo studio
Study social problems
Work in a real estate firm
Be an accountant
Run a bulldozer
Work in a scientific laboratory
Study drama
Teach children to read
Work with office managers Run a committee meeting
Work in a telephone office
Build cabinets
Work with scientists
Be a musician
Work in a day-care centre
Be a Member of Parliament
Run office machines
Be a police officer
Work with artists
Study Chemistry
Be a biologist
Work with teenagers
Study public speaking
Work with farmers

Now transfer your answers to the Occupational Map.

Grade 8 Module: Career Awareness, Exploration, and Planning
Handout No. 4 "Occupational Map Activities"

Occupational Map Activities (continued)
An Occupational Map

INSTRUCTIONS:
On this sheet, circle the same activities that you circled on the activities sheet. Do your circles follow any pattern? Explain. How does this Holland Code pattern relate to your earlier one?

REALISTIC
Work outside
Build cabinets
Be a police officer
Run a bulldozer
Work with farmers
CONVENTIONAL
Work in a telephone office
Be an accountant
Run office machines
Organize files and cabinets
Work with office managers
ENTERPRISING
Work in a real estate firm
Run a committee meeting
Be a Member of Parliament
Study public speaking
Work with salespeople

INVESTIGATIVE
Work in a scientific laboratory
Design electronic equipment
Be a biologist
Study chemistry
Work with scientists
ARTISTIC
Work in a photo studio
Design furniture
Be a musician
Work with artists
Study drama
SOCIAL
Work in a day-care centre
Teach children to read
Be a school counsellor
Study social problems
Work with teenagers

Source: Making career decisions by Collins, Studd and Wallace. Copyright 1984. Used by permission of Nelson Canada, A Division of Thomson Canada Limited.
Grade 8 Module: Career Awareness, Exploration, and Planning
Handout No. 4 "Occupational Map Activities"
For printing and copying this template Requires Acrobat Reader (click on the table title)

Data, People, Things Checklist
Name: ___________________________________ Grade: __________ Date: __________
I believe that my preference would be to work with _______________.
From each of the following groups of activities, place a check mark on the line beside the one activity in each group that you would choose to do.

(a) make a pizza
(b) read a book
(c) talk on the phone

(a) fix a bicycle
(b) plan a party
(c) work on a computer

(a) watch T.V.
(b) read book
(c) build a model airplane

(a) develop pictures
(b) do a jigsaw puzzle
(c) go shopping

(a) design a school crest
(b) replace a worn electrical cord
(c) deliver newspapers

(a) play baseball
(b) type a letter
(c) act in a play

(a) organize your record collection
(b) join a club
(c) fix a broken table leg

(a) take pictures of scenery
(b) take pictures of people
(c) organize a photo album
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Grade 8 Module: Career Awareness, Exploration, and Planning
Handout No. 4 "Occupational Map Activities"

Data, People, Things Checklist (continued)

(a) visit sick people
(b) dissect a frog
(c) do a crossword puzzle

(a) go to the zoo
(b) repair a leaky faucet
(c) collect something
     (e.g. coins, stamps)

(a) go to the beach
(b) go for a walk in the woods
(c) play tennis

(a) learn to play a guitar
(b) coach a team
(c) arrange the props for school play

(a) show new students round school
(b) plan a school dance
(c) rearrange the desks in your class

(a) decorate your bedroom
(b) make 200 sandwiches
(c) interview a stranger about a job
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Totals:
Column 1

________ Column 2

________ Column 3

________

My demonstrated preference is _______________
My second preference is _____________________

Grade 8 Module: Career Awareness, Exploration, and Planning
Handout No. 5 "Data, People, Things Checklist"

Data, People, Things Information
DATA
I like to think about things that can't be felt or touched (numbers, words, history, ideas). I want to understand them, read about them, draw or experiment with them.
When I was younger I liked to
          collect things (stamps, butterflies, coins, cards).
          play with building games (Lego, Mechano).
          build models.
I enjoy
          doing crossword puzzles.
          listening to music.
          reading.
          designing (cars, houses, clothes).
In school I like to
          work on projects by myself.
          do math problems.
          write stories.
          do science homework.
I have always wanted to be an
architect
artist
musician computer programmer
engineer
writer accountant
scientist

PEOPLE
I like to be with people, think about people, talk to people and help people. I like to read about famous people and understand how people feel.
When I was younger I liked to
          look after pet or plants.
          go to cubs or brownies.
          take friends on holidays or have them stay over.
I enjoy
          playing charades.
          planning a party or things to do for and with my friends.
          writing letters.
          playing team sports.
          showing others how to do things.
          meeting new people.

Grade 8 Module: Career Awareness, Exploration, and Planning
Handout No. 5 "Data, People, Things Checklist"

Data, People, Things Information (continued)
In school I like to
          work on projects with other students.
          go to physical education.
          help the teacher or other students.
I have always wanted to be a
salesperson
social worker
manager tour guide
veterinarian teacher
police officer

THINGS
I like to work with things such as tools and machines (cameras, scissors, hammers, typewriters). I like to learn how things work (T.V.s, cars).
When I was young I used to
          take apart things to see how they work.
          play with toys such as trucks, model railways.
          make things like cookies, doll clothes, forts.
I enjoy
          fixing things (bicycle, broken toys).
          reading craft magazines or mechanic magazines.
          riding my bike.
          watching people build things.
In school I like to
          go to Industrial Arts or Home Economics.
          learn how to type or operate other equipment.
I have always wanted to be a(n)
auto mechanic
bus mechanic
deckhand cabinet maker
dressmaker
telephone operator firefighter
welder

Source: Junior high school career guidance, New Brunswick, Department of Education, 1988.
Grade 8 Goal: Career Awareness, Exploration, and Planning
Handout No. 5 "Data, People, Things Checklist"

Activity 2: Anticipating the Future

Foundational Objective: Awareness of change and knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to cope with life transitions.
Learning Objectives:
The student will:
identify feelings associated with change in one's life.
describe the effects that societal, economic and technological change have on occupations.

C.E.L.s: COM, CCT, IL, PSVS, TL
Materials:
pencil or pen
handout No. 6 "The Future"
poster paper
coloured pencils or markers

Time: One class period.
Activity:
Teacher Note: You may wish to introduce this lesson with a futuristic science fiction film.
Have the students brainstorm changes that they anticipate will happen in the next 5 years (they can consider lifestyle, jobs, technology, environment).
In small groups, have them discuss ways that they can plan for these changes. Share responses with the large group.
Have students construct a poster of their image of work in the future.
Have the students complete handout No. 6 "The Future" and discuss in class.

Additional Activities:
Research and write a report on "Work in the Future".
Interview an elderly person and discuss changes in his/her lifetime.
Invite an elderly person into the classroom to give a presentation on the changes.
Visit a job site where new technology has radically altered the work people do.
Check out an automated teller and discuss how jobs have been eliminated through technological change.
Send messages to another class in another part of the city or province via an electronic carrier (i.e. Bulletin Board System, computer and modem, fax) and do a cooperative project to demonstrate jobs created and jobs lost and jobs changed.
Evaluation:

For printing and copying this template Requires Acrobat Reader (click on the table title)

The Future
Describe the place where you will be living.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
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__________________________________________________________________
What kind of home will you be living in? Describe the home and how it differs from your home today.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Describe your family and lifestyles you hope to have.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Describe the type of work you will be doing?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What type of technology do you see?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

Grade 8 Module: Career Awareness, Exploration, and Planning
Handout No. 6 "The Future"

The Future (Continued)
What kind of skills will you be using?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Describe how you spend your leisure time.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What type of skills will you need to do this leisure activity?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

Grade 8 Module: Career Awareness, Exploration, and Planning
Handout No. 6 "The Future"

Activity 3: My Contributions Help

Foundational Objective: Awareness and knowledge of the interrelationship of life roles.
Learning Objectives:
The student will:
identify personal goals that may be satisfied through a combination of work, community, social and family roles.
describe the interrelationship between school, family, occupational and leisure decisions.

C.E.L.s: COM, CCT, IL, PSVS, NUM
Materials:
pen
scissors
pencil
student journals
magazines

Time: One class period.
Background Information:
For many people, their career includes volunteer work as well as paid employment. The volunteer work may be in the same area as their career, as when a bookkeeper does the books for a local community association, or it may be in a totally different area, as when that same bookkeeper works with the elderly or with people with mental or physical disabilities.
Volunteer work is a way of sharpening your skills in a different setting or of learning new skills that are needed in the workplace. Many people who want to switch careers recognize the value of getting started in their new area by first doing volunteer work there.
Perhaps more importantly, however, are the personal satisfactions that come with volunteer work. People who choose to volunteer know that they are doing a worthwhile job that might otherwise go undone. They know that they are making their community and the world a better place and they have the sense of pride that comes through service to others.
Volunteering also provides opportunities to visit different job sites and explore new career options.
Activity:
Review the Life Career Concept (see Grade 6, Activity 1 - Self-Awareness).
Discuss the value of volunteering with the students in relationship to future jobs.
In small groups, have students brainstorm ways that they might volunteer at home, school and in the community.
In small groups, have students construct one of the following:
(a) a poster encouraging volunteering
(b) a Volunteer Bulletin Board
(c) a collage of people volunteering
For a closing activity, have students complete the following statement in their journals:
I learned that ...

Additional Activities:
Point out to students that people can learn new knowledge and skills by doing volunteer work -knowledge and skills which can be useful in their paid careers. Some people who want to switch careers make the change happen by first doing volunteer work in the field they have chosen to enter. List a dozen or so types of volunteer work and have students identify the kinds of skills that an individual would learn from each one. For example:
(a)   editing a newsletter for a community club - writing, editing, organizing self and others        to meet deadlines, working with typists, typesetters, printers, artists, etc.
(b)   being a Brownie or Cub Scouts leader - working with children, planning and        carrying out events, working cooperatively with parents and other community        organizations.
If your community has a volunteer bureau, ask a representative from the bureau to speak to the class on "The Role of Volunteer Work in Career Development".
Recognize and honour students in the class/school for volunteer contributions.
Have students calculate the monetary value of volunteer work.

Evaluation:

Resources:

Adapted from: Project real world module IV, Federal/Provincial Publication, Saskatchewan Education, Training and Employment, 1986.

Activity 4: Traditional and Non-Traditional Occupations, Sex-Role Stereotypes

Foundational Objective: Awareness and knowledge about changing gender roles.
Learning Objectives:
The student will:
describe stereotypes, biases, and discriminatory behaviours that may limit opportunities for women and men in certain occupations.

C.E.L.s: COM, CCT, IL, PSVS
Materials:
paper
handout No. 7 "Attitudes Toward Sex Roles"
pen or pencil
handout No. 8 "Occupation List"
student journals

Time: Two - three class periods.
Background Information:
Activity:
Session 1:
Explain the importance of positive attitudes toward sex roles.
Distribute "Attitudes Toward Sex Roles" handout to students and request that they be completed in class.
Explain scoring key to class, after completion of the exercise.
Discuss answers and score interpretations. Discuss how students' attitudes may influence future occupational decisions.

Session 2:
Give students the "Occupation List" handout and ask them to identify whether each is predominantly a male or female occupation.
Have students select four of these occupations, determining the qualifications and physical requirements for each selection. Discuss whether there is a valid reason for these occupations being predominantly male or female.
List on the chalkboard some prospective employers of these occupations. (Would these employers be apt to hire both males and females in each identified occupation?) Have students discuss why certain people may or may not be hired for their chosen careers.
In their journals, have the students complete the following statement:
I learned that ...

Additional Activities:
Watch the videotape "She's Making Choices". See what these women are doing in their jobs that is non-traditional.
Have students do something non-traditional at home or after school and report back on what happened, or role play the scenario.
Have students design a bulletin board of sex-role stereotyping on the job.
Write a report on sex-role stereotyping on the job and/or sexual harassment.
Discuss laws that prohibit discrimination.
Evaluation:

Resources:
Expanding choices: Math and science programs for girls and women (1992)
Saskatchewan Women's Secretariat
Saskatchewan Education, Training, and Employment
Regina, SK
"She's making choices" (video package)
Saskatchewan WITT - Regina
Women in Trades and Technology
3524 Victoria Ave.
Regina, SK S4J 1M1

For printing and copying this template Requires Acrobat Reader (click on the table title)

Attitudes Toward Sex Roles
Directions: Listed below are 15 common ideas about women's roles in relationship to men. There are no right or wrong answers, only personal opinions. Respond to every item by putting a check mark in the appropriate space.
Key: 1 = VSA = Very Strongly Agree
2 = SA = Strongly Agree
3 = A = Agree
4 = D = Disagree
5 = SD = Strongly Disagree
6 = VSD = Very Strongly Disagree

VSA
1 SA
2 A
3 D
4 SD
5 VSD
6 Part I

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Men and women should share the responsibilities and privileges of life equally.
Women should express their opinions honestly, even if this is in disagreement with men.
Men and women should be paid equal wages if they are doing the same work.
Women can think as logically as men.
In a business setting, the woman who acts seductively is not behaving appropriately.
It is possible for women to combine home and occupation and to do both successfully.
If a husband and wife both work outside the home, responsibilities in the home should be shared equally.
Women should follow any vocation they wish, even if this violates tradition.
Women can work in any vocation without appearing masculine.
Men should be willing to work for women.
There is no genetic difference between the sexes in intellectual ability.
Married women should be able to have both male and female friends.
A college education is equally important for males and females.
It is just as important for women to be intellectually capable as it is for men.
It would be appropriate for a woman to be Prime Minister of Canada.

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ TOTALS (PART I)

Grade 8 Module: Career Awareness, Exploration, and Planning
Handout No. 7 "Attitudes Toward Sex Roles"

Attitudes Toward Sex Roles (continued)
Directions: Listed below are 20 common ideas about women's roles in relationship to men. There are no right or wrong answers, only personal opinions. Respond to every item by putting a check mark in the appropriate space.

Key: 1 = VSA = Very Strongly Agree
2 = SA = Strongly Agree
3 = A = Agree
4 = D = Disagree
5 = SD = Strongly Disagree
6 = VSD = Very Strongly Disagree

VSA
1 SA
2 A
3 D
4 SD
5 VSD
6 Part II

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A woman should be the "power behind the man" and not the one "out in front".
Truly feminine women let men believe they are the boss even when this is not true.
It is appropriate to divide work into "man's work" and "woman's work".
Acting helpless makes a woman appear more feminine.
Women should act naive (for example, pretend not to understand) in order to make a man look more knowledgeable.
The best way for a woman to get her way with a man is to use feminine "wiles".
The best guarantee of a good marriage is for the wife to be submissive to her husband.
The most important characteristic for a wife is physical attractiveness.
A woman should work only if she can do so without interfering with her domestic duties.
The best way for a woman to show her love for her family is to dedicate her time to being a homemaker.

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ TOTALS (PART II)

Grade 8 Module: Career Awareness, Exploration, and Planning
Handout No. 7 "Attitudes Toward Sex Roles"

Attitudes Toward Sex Roles (continued)

VSA
1 SA
2 A
3 D
4 SD
5 VSD
6 Part III

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Women demand equal advantages with men in the world of work, yet insist on special privileges at the same time.
It is only natural for women to be interested in people and for men to be interested in ideas.
A woman's place is primarily in the home.
Modern women are too competitive.
Highly-paid jobs should go to men with families to support.
A wife should not compete with her husband in his own areas of endeavour.
It is not possible to maintain a romantic relationship when a woman "beats the man at his own game".
Beauty is more important to femininity than intelligence.
Males are inherently capable in some areas and women in others.

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ TOTALS (PART III)

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ TOTALS (PART II)

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ TOTALS (PART I)

___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ TOTALS FOR ALL THREE PARTS
(III,II,I)

___ TOTAL SCORE
(Add Totals in Line Above)

Interpretation of score: A score above 88 reflects dichotomous, gender-bound, traditional attitudes about the roles of men and women. A score below 88 reflects androgynous attitudes or nongender-bound attitudes about the roles of men and women in society.

Source: Developmental guidance classroom activities, Vocational Studies Centre, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1991. Reprinted with permission.
Grade 8 Module: Career Awareness, Exploration, and Planning
Handout No. 7 "Attitudes Toward Sex Roles"

Occupations List

Fire Fighter
Teacher
Model
Bus Driver
Clerk
Police Officer
Doctor
Musician
News Reporter
Lawyer
Window Cleaner
Farmer
Athlete
Miner
Pilot
Accountant
Banker
Barber
Dentist
Construction Worker

Mechanic
Minister
Rock Band Member
Secretary
Governor
Veterinarian
Sanitary Worker
Mechanical Engineer
Nurse
Flight Attendant
Writer
Inventor
Ranger
Bookkeeper
Architect
Cook
Farmer
Trapper
Business Person
Fishermen/women

Grade 8 Module: Career Awareness, Exploration, and Planning
Handout No. 8 "Career List"

Activity 5: What's My Line?

Foundational Objective:
Awareness and knowledge of different occupations and knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to access, understand and use occupational information.
Learning Objective:
The student will:
identify a variety of occupations.

C.E.L.s: COM, CCT, IL
Materials:
pen or pencil
handout No. 9 "What's My Line?"
career resource material

Time: One class period.
Activity:
Have students complete handout No. 9 "What's My Line?" Discuss the occupations or related occupations as required.
You may wish to give the answers to the What's My Line? activity in scrambled order as a spelling exercise. You may also have students do the activity in groups. Answers to the What's My Line? activity are given below. (variation: charades game with two teams).

Auto body repair
Bricklayer
Stonemason
Journeyman
Apprentice
Chef
Any profession
Glazier
Surgeon
Psychiatrist
Sheet metal worker
Crown prosecutor
Defence attorney
Robotics technician
Shipper, receiver
Optometrist
Optician
Plumber
Custodian, janitor
The pro
Draftsman/woman
Constable on patrol
Chief
Detective
Social Worker

Professor
Probation officer
Teller, cashier
Treasurer, accountant
Mortician
Supervisor of nursing
Veterinarian
Upholsterer
Realtor, real estate agent
Farmer
Machinist
Author
Reporter
Chiropracter
Trapper
Publisher
Receptionist
Switchboard operator
Dispatcher
Taxi driver
Pharmacist
Credit manager
Personnel manager
Architect

Additional Activities:
Who Am I - Ask a student to act out an occupation. Other students try to guess the occupation. The person who guesses acts out another occupation.
Related Occupations - Ask students to name one related occupation for each occupation in the What's My Line? activity.
Spelling Bee - Have students spell the names of various occupations.
Related Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes - Have students tell you some knowledge, a skill, or attitude the person must have to work in the occupation that is listed.
Evaluation:

Resources:

For printing and copying this template Requires Acrobat Reader (click on the table title)

What's My Line?
Write the name of the occupation or the term that matches the description.

A person who bangs out dented fenders on a car
A person who helps construct houses, buildings, and out of brick
A person who helps construct buildings using stone
A person who has successfully completed an apprenticeship
A name for a learner working with a journeyman
A person who cooks meals in a fancy restaurant
A profession
A trade having to do with glass
The member of a medical team who operates
The member of a medical team who specializes in illnesses of the mind
A tradesperson who builds heating pipes
A lawyer who accuses a person of breaking the law and then attempts to prove his accusation
A lawyer who assists the accused person
A person who repairs and maintains the robots used in production and manufacturing
A person in a warehouse who is responsible for receiving goods and sending them out
A skilled worker who examines eyes and prescribes glasses
A person who grinds the lenses for glasses
A tradesperson who installs sinks and bathtubs
Another name for caretaker
A person who teaches golf at a golf course
A man or woman who draws blueprints
The meaning of the letters COP as in cop
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Grade 8 Module: Career Awareness, Exploration, and Planning
Handout No. 9 "What's My Line?"

What's My Line? (continued)

The top rank in the police force
A police officer in plain clothes
A professional concerned with the welfare of people
A teacher at a university
A social worker who works for the family court and has boys and girls placed in his/her care
A person at the bank who cashes cheques, takes in savings, issues money orders
A person responsible for the finances of a club or company
A person at a funeral home responsible for preparing dead bodies for burial
Another name for head nurse at a hospital
A doctor for animals
A tradesperson who pads and covers chesterfields, car seats, etc.
A man or woman who sells land, houses, buildings
One who cultivates the fields
A tradesperson who puts a block of steel in a lathe and by grinding, cutting, etc., produces a machine part
Another name for a writer of books
A writer for a newspaper
A profession that concentrates on the human spine
A person who traps animals
A businessman or businesswoman who buys stories, has them printed, and sells them
A person in a dentist's office or a business office who greets all visitors
Another name for telephone operator

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Grade 8 Module: Career Awareness, Exploration, and Planning
Handout No. 9 "What's My Line?"

What's My Line? (continued)

A man or woman in the office of a taxi company who radios the taxi down
A man or woman who drives a car that is for hire
Another name for a druggist
A manager responsible for keeping track of money that customers owe the firm
The manager responsible for hiring people
A person who designs houses

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Source: One step at time, Educational and Career Explorations, Intermediate Division, Ministry of Education, Ontario, 1984.
Grade 8 Module: Career Awareness, Exploration, and Planning
Handout No. 9 "What's My Line?"

Activity 6: Am I an Entrepreneur?

Foundational Objectives:
Awareness of self and knowledge of the value of a positive self-concept.
Awareness and knowledge of different occupations and knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to access, understand and use occupational information.
Learning Objectives:
The student will:
identify personal interests, abilities, strengths and weaknesses and how they relate to occupations.
demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between personality and occupational goals.

C.E.L.s: COM, CCT, IL, PSVS
Materials:
pen or pencil
handout No. 10 "Am I an Entrepreneur?"
handout No. 11 "Personal Entrepreneur Inventory"

Time: One class period.
Background Information:
People become entrepreneurs for a variety of reasons. Many are motivated by a desire for achievement and excellence. They want recognition for their ability and often are interested in excellence for its own sake.
Some entrepreneurs start their own ventures as a means of achieving personal fulfillment. They may have a consuming interest or talent. Many computer experts, graphic artists, or writers who are in business for themselves fall into this category. They may have skills and abilities which they do not have an opportunity to develop when working for a government agency or a big company.
Still others see entrepreneurship as a way of gaining control over their work life. They want to set their own goals, determine the kind of work they do and choose the people they work with. Some entrepreneurs are people with a high energy level who are willing to work hard. When employed by someone else they receive the same salary no matter how hard they work. They see owning their own business as a way of making their earnings equal their effort.
On the surface, entrepreneurs may seem to have a wide variety of different personalities, but underneath successful entrepreneurs have some basic characteristics in common. They tend to be hard-working "self-starters". They are self-disciplined, realistic and comfortable with a moderate degree of risk.
People's ideas for entrepreneurial ventures usually grow out of their experience, their education or their hobbies.
Most entrepreneurs have some work experience prior to setting up their own business/ventures. This experience gives them skills and knowledge which they can apply in other situations. A person who works as a secretary develops typing skills which can be used to set up a commercial typing service. A person whose work involves a lot of writing gets many opportunities to polish this skill and is well equipped for a career as a freelance writer.
Formal education also provides knowledge and skills which can be used in ventures that grow out of hobbies. Someone who enjoys sewing might offer sewing classes at home or do custom sewing for others. Someone who is an expert cross-country skier might recognize the need for a simple ski waxing system, then develop and market such a system. Someone who enjoys gardening might start a greenhouse or a landscaping service.
Activity:
Discuss background information with the students.
Discuss with students that they are at a stage in their lives where they are thinking about future careers; entrepreneurship is one career possibility. Explain to students that just as some people have personality characteristics which suit them to careers as doctors, teachers, plumbers or whatever, others have additional characteristics which make them suited to careers as entrepreneurs. Distribute the handout, "Am I an Entrepreneur?", and give students time to read it. Then ask each student to complete the rating scale which appears beside each question. This rating scale will give them an indication of the extent to which they possess the personality characteristics of an entrepreneur. The higher the score, the greater the characteristics suited to entrepreneurship.
Explain to students that successful ventures are usually based on their founder's interests, skills, and knowledge. Distribute the handout "Entrepreneur's Inventory". This handout asks students to identify and assess their own personal interests, skills, and knowledge and then to identify opportunities which use or are based on these personal assets.

Additional Activities:
Students can design a bulletin board relating to "Entrepreneurship".
Students could make "A Business of the Week" poster.
Evaluation:

Resources:

Adapted from: Project real world module IV, Federal/Provincial Publication, Saskatchewan Education, Training and Employment, 1986.
For printing and copying this template Requires Acrobat Reader (click on the table title)

Am I an Entrepreneur?
On the surface, entrepreneurs may seem to have a wide variety of different personalities, but, underneath, most successful entrepreneurs have similar basic personality characteristics.
Do the quiz below to find out whether you have these characteristics.

Not at all A great deal

Are you a self-starter? Entrepreneurs do not need someone else to tell them to start work on a project.
Are you organized and self-disciplined? Entrepreneurs stick to a schedule and are not easily distracted from their work.
Do you like being in charge and enjoy having responsibility?
Do you have a lot of energy and are willing to work hard?
Are you able to plan, on both a long and short term basis?
Can you anticipate problems and plan how you will handle these problems if they arise?
Are you realistic? Entrepreneurs assess each situation in a practical manner and do not avoid or ignore problems.
Are you optimistic and self-confident? Entrepreneurs generally have faith in their own abilities and see others in positive terms.
Are you comfortable with a moderate degree of risk? Successful entrepreneurs are not gamblers; they plan carefully and realistically and so eliminate some risk. However, there are always factors which the entrepreneur cannot control and so there is always a moderate degree of risk in going to business for yourself.
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Scoring: Add your circled numbers up to get your score. A score between 35 and 45 indicates you may have the characteristics of a successful entrepreneur.
Source: Project real world module IV, Federal/Provincial Publications, Saskatchewan Education, Training and Employment, 1986.
Grade 8 Module: Career Awareness, Exploration, and Planning
Handout No. 10 "Am I An Entrepreneur?"
For printing and copying this template Requires Acrobat Reader (click on the table title)

Personal Entrepreneur Inventory
First identify your own personal interests, skills, and knowledge. Then identify possible entrepreneurial ventures which are based on these interests, skills, and knowledge. An example is provided in each category.

My interest
Music
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My skills
Talking to people
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My knowledge

Computer programming
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Ventures based on my interests
DJ service for parties
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Ventures based on my skills
Sales/Personal counselling
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Ventures based on my knowledge
Computer consulting
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Source: Project real world module IV, Federal/Provincial Publications, Saskatchewan Education, Training and Employment, 1986.
Grade 8 Module: Career Awareness, Exploration, and Planning
Handout No. 11 "Personal Entrepreneur Inventory"

Activity 7: Worker Cooperatives

Foundational Objectives:
Awareness and knowledge of different occupations and knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to access, understand and use occupational information.
Awareness of the value of the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to interact successfully with others.
Awareness of self.
Learning Objectives:
The student will:
demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of "Worker Cooperatives".

C.E.L.s: COM, CCT, IL, PSVS
Materials:
paper
Handout "Case Study: Enough is Enough"
pen or pencil

Time: One class period.
Background Information:
Work is a fact of life. Most of us think of work as having a job in which we get paid for doing something for an employer. Many people dream of being their own boss - of either working alone or having others work for them. Another model for the working relationship, which is attracting people in Canada and around the world, is the worker cooperative.
The worker cooperative is a business owned and operated by its workers. It is organized on the democratic principle of one vote for each worker-owner regardless of the amount of money he or she invests in the business. In a worker cooperative, only those who work in the business have a vote. Outsiders can invest in the business but they do not have a vote.
A worker cooperative can be an exciting place to work. Generally, people enjoy their work when they are with people they like and, more importantly, when they have some control over decision-making.
Worker-owned cooperatives is an important example of Canadian entrepreneurship. Many kinds of cooperatives exist including consumer outlets, credit unions, agricultural marketing cooperatives, cooperative housing, and service industry cooperatives.
Activity:
Read and discuss background information.
In small groups distribute Handout "Case Study: Enough is Enough". Read, discuss, respond to questions, and record answers.
Share responses with the entire group.
Journal writing exercise:
Working in a worker cooperative I would (like/dislike)....

Additional Activities:
Design a worker cooperative in the classroom.
Write a story of workers who decided to form a workers' cooperative.
Evaluation:
Students will demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of worker cooperatives.

Resources:
Video "Cooperation Works"
Canadian Cooperative Association
Saskatchewan Region
Telephone: (306) 244-3702

Case Study: Enough Is Enough!

"We'll never let that happen again!" With that vow, five young workers at the Chester Food Market quit, determined to start their own business.
Andrew, Rosetta, Matt, Carol-Ann, and Jose had worked at the Chester Food Market, a small food store with a lunch counter. All of them were interested in preparing and selling food, and they enjoyed working together. There was not just one thing that led to their mass resignation. There were really a lot of little things. More and more they seemed to disagree with their boss as to how they did their work and how the store was run.
"Remember the time Matt and I switched shifts and Mr. Coulter had a fit?" Rosetta laughed. "There I was trying to find a new day care for my three-year old in the middle of winter, juggling my shifts so I'd be at work on time, and Mr. Coulter tells me I'm irresponsible."
"He said something like that to me once. That I was...Oh, I know," and a slow smile came across Matt's face. "He said I wasted too much time talking to customers. Hey, it was good customer relations, I mean, I knew all the products that they wanted. And they always came back, didn't they?" Matt looked around for support.
Everyone nodded. The customers had liked Matt, and he did have some good suggestions for new products. He had thought about marketing Mexican food long before other stores started carrying it and making a fortune in sales. But his suggestions, like everyone else's, usually fell on deaf ears. Carol-Ann and Jose wanted to re-arrange the check-out area, so it would not be congested at busy times, but Mr. Coulter said the renovations would be too expensive. He just made a joke about them working too slowly.
Three weeks later, Mr. Coulter refused to let the employees choose their own vacation days. This was the last straw and they decided to quit.
They had heard something about a worker cooperative business where the workers owned and ran the business. Maybe this was the solution for them.
Source: Cooperative Entrepreneurship: Cooperative Outlook Series (1990), Canadian Cooperative Association, p. 7-9.
Questions:
List the problems for the workers at the Chester Food Market.
How might these problems be handled in a worker cooperative?
List what you think might be some advantages and disadvantages of being each of the following:

a)   a worker in a traditional model of ownership (one owner and several workers).
b)   an owner in a traditional model of ownership
c)   a worker-owner in a worker cooperative

Grade 8 Module: Career Awareness, Exploration and Planning
Handout "Case Study: Enough is Enough"

Activity 8: The World of Work Has Changed

Foundational Objective: Awareness of change and knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to cope with life transitions.
Learning Objective:
The student will:
describe the effects that societal, economic and technological change have on occupations.

C.E.L.s: COM, CCT, IL, PSVS, TL
Materials:
paper
handout No. 12 "World of Work Trends"
pen or pencil

Time: One class period.
Activity:
With student input, develop a list of recent inventions and/or scientific and technological developments that have changed people's lives.
This list could include such things as automobiles, electricity, television, computers, robots, photocopiers, automated tellers at banks, telephones, communications satellites and airplanes.
Use two or three examples from activity 1 and examine each of them for:
(a) jobs created
(b) jobs eliminated
(c) impact on the lives of the workers
(d) impact on the lives of society at large
(e) implications for the future
The following example may help students get started.
Invention
Automobile

Impact on Workers
More indoor work
Noisier
Repetitive Work
Steady Work
Shift Work
Unions Jobs Created
Mechanics
Assemblyline Workers
Miners (for steel)
Shipping (for rubbers)
Service Station Attendants

Impact on Society
Increased mobility
More and better highways
Increased and faster travel
Need for parking
Pollution
Death Eliminated
Blacksmith
Carpenters
Coachman
Harness Makers

Future Implications
More robots
Decreasing number of jobs
Faster cars
Electric cars

Distribute the `World of Work Trends' handout to the students and have them complete it. Discuss the responses, providing explanations and considering implications as necessary.
Answer key: 1, 4, 7, 10, 15 and 17 are false, the rest are true.
Explain that while there are some Saskatchewan people currently unemployed, these people want to work and are willing to work, but because society and the world have changed so rapidly, it is difficult for people to acquire the training to keep up with the changes. Explain that while no one can predict the future, we can predict that things will change, life will go on and people will work.
Conclude by emphasizing that the students of today can best prepare themselves for the future by developing the skills, acquiring the knowledge and experiences, and developing the attitudes that will enable them to adapt to the challenges which lie ahead of them. In order to do so, it is important that they begin now to plan for their future.

Additional Activities:
Ask students to suggest additional `World of Work Trends - True/False' statements and be prepared to explain their response.
Evaluation:

Resources:

For printing and copying this template Requires Acrobat Reader (click on the table title)

World or Work Trends - True or False
Name: ___________________________________ Grade: _____ Date: ____________
The world and nature of work is changing. Read each of the following statements and indicate whether it is true or false.

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In the future more jobs will require a university degree.

Couples who choose to have children are having them at an older age and are having fewer of them.

One of the reasons for high youth unemployment is that young people are continuing to train for jobs where there are already more than enough workers.
The use of computer technology has peaked and will now begin to decline.
More and more offices and businesses now use machines, including computers and data processors, to do tasks once done by secretaries and filing clerks.

By the year 2000 approximately 25% of living Canadians will be 65 or older.

Working women do not really want to work; they would rather be home.
There are more people fired because they are absent, cannot get along with their fellow workers, and do not finish the job they are assigned than there are people fired because they can't do the job.

More new jobs are created by small independent businesses than by large multinational companies and corporations.
University graduates start full-time jobs receiving higher salaries than graduates from technical and vocational training programs.
It is predicted that the jobs of the future will be in businesses providing services to people. Examples include day care, home care, maintenance, grooming, homes for senior citizens, and recreation.
For every dollar a working man made in 1985 a working woman received approximately 63 cents.
Specialization and mechanization in business and industry have resulted in many jobs becoming repetitive and boring for the workers.
People should not expect to have more than one job in their working lives.
The nature of our work affects the way we spend our leisure time.
Most people find jobs through ads in the newspaper and job postings at Canada Employment Centres.

Source: Junior High School Career Guidance, New Brunswick Department of Education, 1988.
Grade 8 Module: Career Awareness, Exploration, and Planning
Handout No. 12 "World of Work Trends"

Activity 9: Career Development Stages

Foundational Objective: Awareness and understanding of the career planning process.
Learning Objective:
The student will:
describe how career development is a continous process with a series of choices.

C.E.L.s: COM, CCT, IL, PSVS
Materials:
paper
handout No. 13 "What You Should Know About Career Development and
pen or pencilCareer Decision-making"

Time: One class period.
Activity:
Have students read the handout.
Ask students to identify which stage they believe they are experiencing.
Have students list the factors in each stage indicating the degree of knowledge they believe they have in each of the stages.
Have students select a career they are interested in and make a plan for reaching the implementation stage.
Teacher Note: Explain to the students that these stages are not entirely age specific. Any time throughout their lifetime, when individuals change careers or occupations, they work through these stages. Some people intuitively choose a career without going through various stages.

Additional Activities:
Interview an older person who is going through a career transition.
Evaluation:
Students can identify four stages involved in career development and name factors involved in each stage.

Resources:

What You Should Know About Career Development and Career Decision Making
Many factors influence when and how people make decisions about their future lives and occupations. Career choice is a lifelong process involving a series of decisions about yourself and what you want to do. Understanding the career development and decision-making process can help you plan your future. A career decision is the result of information about yourself and information about the world of work.
Career decisions should be made after you gather:
1. Realistic information about yourself, your abilities, your interests, and your experiences.
2. Accurate career and job information (see library for books and booklets about jobs and     careers).
Developing ideas about careers takes place in various stages. Individuals who have studied career development have identified four stages through which people progress:

Fantasy

Tentative

Realistic

Implementation

I'd like to be ...
In the Fantasy Stage, people speculate about various careers without a realistic frame of reference. They dream about careers without taking into consideration all of the factors that should enter in decision making. For example, they may want to be a movie star or a famous writer, but they do not think about whether they have any talent. This stage generally occurs between the ages of six and ten ... but not always!
I think I can be ...
During the Tentative Stage, people take into consideration their interests, their capabilities and their values when they think about a career. For example, they may want to be a doctor because they are good in science and are interested in helping people. The activities of both of these stages are exploratory in nature. People explore all areas of possibility, but only when they enter the Tentative Stage do they begin being realistic about their future and thinking about it in terms of themselves and their potential for achieving a particular career.
I know I can ...
During the Realistic Stage, people study the options available considering both their own needs and the realistic chances they have of achieving their goals.
(a)They learn about the requirements for different fields.
(b)They begin to broaden and then to narrow down their choices.
(c)At the very end of this stage, they arrive at a decision about the direction in which they     are heading. The major activity during this stage is understanding -- the understanding     of both themselves and the world of work.
I am going to ...
Implementation is the final stage when people begin to act upon their decisions. Action here can mean a variety of different activities -- taking required courses in school, applying for a training program, entering a particular program looking for a job, or working.
It may seem that everyone passes through these stages in exactly the same order. The truth is that career development rarely progresses so logically and evenly for most people. The stage at which you find yourself often has nothing to do with your age. Sometimes people skip stages, and sometimes they can be in more than one stage at the same time. To complicate things even further, some people go through the entire process more than once. For example, you can be working (Implementation) and at the same time fantasize about other jobs. Many adults have gone through the process but are now considering a career change and are exploring other possibilities.

Source: Developmental guidance classroom activities, Vocational Studies Centre, Unversity of Wisconsin-Madison, 1991. Reprinted with permission.
Handout No. 13 "What You Should Know About Career Development and Career Decision Making"

Activity 10: Career Development Record

Foundational Objectives:
Awareness of change and knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to cope with life career transitions.
Awareness and understanding of the career planning process.
Learning Objectives:
The student will:
develop an individual career plan that integrates educational plans with tentative career goals.
identify how a person changes during a lifetime.
describe the importance of a career plan.

C.E.L.s: COM, CCT, IL, PSVS
Materials:
pen or pencil
handout No. 14 "Career Development Record"
Grade 7 Career Development Record (if available)

Time: One class period.
Activity:
Have students complete the Grade 8 Career Development Record handout.
Compare to the one they completed in Grade 7 (if available).
Discuss how they have grown and changed this year.
Teacher Note: Keep Career Development Record for students to review next year. You may wish to have a special celebration to acknowledge the success of the students in the program this year.

Additional Activities:
Share Career Development Records in small groups.
Evaluation:

Resources:

For printing and copying this template Requires Acrobat Reader (click on the table title)

Career Development Record - Grade 8
Student's Name: ________________________________    Date: _______________
High Interest Subjects: ___________________________________________________
Low Interest Subjects: ___________________________________________________

Prefers Activities: Outside   ___ Inside   ___ Both ___

Physically: Active   ___ Average   ___ Sedentary ___

A.  Personal Characteristics
Three words that best describe me are
____________________, ____________________, ____________________.
Circle the answer which best applies to you.
(a) I enjoy being with people.
(b) I get along easily with people.
(c) I am understanding of others.
(d) I am able to make good decisions.
(e) I like pressure. Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes No
No
No
No
No

I would prefer to work with
(a) people.
(b) data. (c) things.
(d) ideas.

I would like to work for
(a) a large business.
(b) a small business. (c) myself.

I would prefer to work

(a) alone.
(b) as part of a team.

I would enjoy

(a) constant change.
(b) daily routine.

B.  Values
Remember that educational and career goals are influenced by what you want out of life and by the things that are truly important to you. Complete the following sentences:
I am happiest when I _______________________________________________.
The following beliefs are very important to me:
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

Career Development Record - Grade 8(continued)
What I want most out of life is
__________________________________________________________________.

C.  Abilities and Aptitudes
Your goals should be selected to make use of your strengths.
List five things you are good at.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
List five things you find difficult.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

D.  Interests
You cannot always do what is most interesting, but a knowledge of your interests is important. Complete the following statements:
I have the following interests (consider interests both in school and outside school):
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
I find the following things boring:
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

Career Development Record - Grade 8 (continued)
E.    Temperament
Complete this statement:

My attitude toward school is _____________________________________________.
Circle the answer that applies to you. I am usually
(a)    happy.
(b)   grouchy.
In the following list, check the characteristics that apply to you.
I like:
(a) having plenty of change and variety.
(b) having a routine.
(c) being closely supervised when I work.
(d) directing others.
(e) dealing with people.
(f) working alone.
(g) trying to convince others.
(h) working under pressure.
(i) using my own judgment.
(j) being scientific and objective.
(k) dealing with my feelings.
(l) being precise. ___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___

F.  Physical Health
Which subjects (and occupations) might not be good ones to choose because of health hazards?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

G. Work Experience
List the various jobs (part-time, summer, etc.) that you have held. For each, outline:
(a)   what you liked about the job;
(b)   what you disliked;
(c)   what skills you used;
(d)   what you accomplished.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

Career Development Record - Grade 8 (continued)
H.   Leisure
List your leisure-time activities.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What achievements are you most proud of?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
What do your activities have in common?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

I.    Career
Complete this statement. At this point in my life, my career goal is:
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

J.    Evaluation
Complete this statement. From this personal inventory I have learned that I:
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

Source: Junior high school career guidance, New Brunswick Department of Education, 1988.
Grade 8 Module Career Awareness, Exploration, and Planning
Handout No. 14 "Career Development Record"