Any Career Exploration resource recommendations?

[Sherri in MI]

Hi,

 

I'm not usually on the H.S. forum - my ds is still in elementary school, but I need your suggestions for a co-op class. I'm teaching a co-op class on Career Exploration - I kind of inherited it, but it did not come with any lesson plans or resources. Those of you who have been through this process or are going through this process with your teens: do you have any favorite resources? If your co-op offered this class for your high school student, what topics would you like to see covered? What specifically would you like your teen to get out of the class?

 

We've already done an brief, but surprisingly comprehensive assessment from the internet that led them through thinking about their values, skills and career interests in order to narrow down the field for them.

 

This is a Christian co-op, so any materials books from a Christian viewpoint are welcome. Secular ones are okay too.

 

I am looking at "What Color Is Your Parachute For Teens", which I love, but it seems to walk them through a similar process that we already did, just in more detail maybe. I do like the way that book breaks down skills. Unfortunately, I do not have any budget and cannot get a book for each student or photocopy the skills pages.

 

Looking forward to your suggestions and feedback.

 

TIA,

[Kareni]

Perhaps this older thread will give you some leads.

 

Regards,

Kareni

[Sherri in MI]

Perhaps this older thread will give you some leads.

 

Regards,

Kareni

 

Thanks for the thread. There were some possiblities there. There's a lot to sift through.

 

Anyone have any additional suggestions?

[Lori D.]

I'm going to be leading a little seminar session for highschoolers in our homeschool group on this topic in a few weeks; below is what I've come up with so far as a resource list. Hope something there helps you as well! Warmest regards, Lori D.

 

 

CAREER ASSESSMENT RESOURCES

 

Career Aptitude Tests (free, online):

- Fun Education = http://www.funeducation.com/Tests/CareerTest/TakeTest.aspx

- Career Colleges = http://www.careercolleges.com/career-assessment-test.jsp

- Career Test Guide (free career aptitude tests) = http://www.career-tests-guide.com/free-career-aptitude-tests.html'>http://www.career-tests-guide.com/free-career-aptitude-tests.html'>http://www.career-tests-guide.com/free-career-aptitude-tests.html'>http://www.career-tests-guide.com/free-career-aptitude-tests.html

 

Interest Inventorys (free, online):

- Learn More Indiana = http://www.learnmoreindiana.org/careers/exploring/Pages/IndepthCareerInterestInventory.aspx

- Tech Prep = http://www.calhoun.edu/wd/inventory.html

 

Skills Assessment Surveys (free, online):

- Career One Stop = http://www.careerinfonet.org/acinet/skills/skills_list.aspx

 

Personality Assessments (free, online):

- The Testing Room (free; must register) = http://www.testingroom.com/

- Service Canada: Kiersey Temperment type checklist = http://www.jobsetc.gc.ca/pieces.jsp?category_id=327&root_id=307&crumb=11&crumb=608&lang=e

- Service Canada: Felder's Index Style = http://www.jobsetc.gc.ca/pieces.jsp?category_id=328&root_id=307&crumb=11&crumb=608&lang=e

 

 

Websites About the 6 Interest Areas and matching careers:

- Learn More Indiana = http://www.learnmoreindiana.org/careers/exploring/InterestInventories/Pages/InterestInventories.aspx

- Wikipedia article = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holland_Codes

- Learning for Life = http://www.learning4liferesources.com/free_career_assessment.html

- Career Zone = http://www.nycareerzone.org/graphic/assessment/'>http://www.nycareerzone.org/graphic/assessment/'>http://www.nycareerzone.org/graphic/assessment/'>http://www.nycareerzone.org/graphic/assessment/

 

Career Clusters

- 16 career clusters info = http://www.careerclusters.org/16clusters.cfm

- 16 career clusters list = http://www.careerclusters.org/list16clusters.php

- downloadable pdb interest survey = http://www.careerclusters.org/resources/ccinterestsurvey/InterestSurvey.pdf

 

Learning Styles/Preferences:

- Service Canada: Learning Style checklist = http://www.jobsetc.gc.ca/pieces.jsp?category_id=325&root_id=307&crumb=11&crumb=608&lang=e

- Service Canada: Learning Strategy checklist = http://www.jobsetc.gc.ca/pieces.jsp?category_id=326&root_id=307&crumb=11&crumb=608&lang=e

- Service Canada: Kolb Learning Cycle checklist = http://www.jobsetc.gc.ca/pieces.jsp?category_id=329&root_id=307&crumb=11&crumb=608&lang=e

 

Study Skills

- Koinonia; Steve and Terri White: learning styles and matching teaching material/environments = http://koinonia-all.org/homeschool/learnstyles.htm

- Kentucky Community & Technical College System: study skills inventory = http://www.wvsd208.org/hs/Staff/osborna/StudySkillsInventory.pdf

- Virginia Tech: study skills assessment, resources = http://www.ucc.vt.edu/stdysk/stdyhlp.html

- How To Study: study skill tips in many areas = http://www.how-to-study.com/

- Study Guides & Strategies: study skill tips in many areas = http://www.studygs.net/

- Child Study Center: matching up learning styles & environment preferences for most effective student study/learning = http://webdoc.nyumc.org/aboutourkids/files/articles/may_jun_1.pdf

- Cynthia Tobias, Apple St., Applied Learning Styles = http://www.applest.com/pdf/FPEAHandout.pdf

- Cynthia Tobias, Apple St., Applied Learning Styles: learning environment preferences student profile = http://www.applest.com/pdf/Back%20to%20School%20Profile.pdf

 

 

General Career Assessment Information Websites:

- About.com article = http://careerplanning.about.com/od/selfassessment/a/self_assessment.htm

- Career Tests Guide = http://www.career-tests-guide.com/free-career-aptitude-tests.html

- Youth Futures = http://www.youthfuturesmetro.com/assessment.asp

- Riley Guide = http://www.rileyguide.com/assess.html

- CDDQ = http://kivunim.huji.ac.il/cddq/

- List of Career Fields to Explore = http://www.oklahomahomeschool.com/careertraining.html

 

 

Occupational Outlook Handbook = http://www.bls.gov/oco/

Free online "handbook" with detailed information about hundreds of careers; it includes descriptions of job tasks, working conditions, training and education needed, earnings, and expected prospects for a variety of occupations.

 

 

Career Zone = http://www.nycareerzone.org/

Free online tool for teens to explore the six career interests and types of jobs which match those six general career interest categoriess. Includes free online career assessment tool, and information on careers, including: job description; tasks, skills and knowledge required by that job; training and education needed for that job; typical earnings and outlook for that job; a search tool for finding training/colleges for preparing for that job; list of similar jobs and additional resources.

 

 

Maze Master = http://www.mazemaster.on.ca/

Free online tool to explore careers and to job search. Must register to use the site. Includes: self assessment; training & education; job search techniques; resumes; and much more.

 

 

College Board = http://collegeboard.com/apps/careers/index

Princeton Review: Career Quiz = http://www.princetonreview.com/cte/

Edited January 15, 2010 by Lori D.
fixed typos

[choirfarm]

I would use speakers. For example, one week have a health care week. Bring in a doctor, nurse, pa, x-ray tech, hospital admin, etc. They could talk about what they do in that field. What gifts/talents they have. The difficulties of the job, training they had etc. Then you could open it up for questions.

 

The next week do engineering. Just ask at your homeschool group, church, etc for people in each field.

 

I thought it would be good to go through the Sonlight Career class over the course of a year AND do that if I were in a co-op setting.

 

Christine