Print/Save as PDF
Career readiness lesson plans are some of the most in-demand educational materials today. They apply to every grade level, and the skills are important for every student to know before joining the workforce. Career readiness lessons give students the practical information and soft skills they need to move forward in their lives. And while it’s helpful to learn these skills at any point in a student’s life, it’s best to learn career readiness when a student is young. This is why it's so important to teach career skills to younger students, especially middle school students. That early reinforcement means they can recall, understand, and apply career concepts quickly — almost like second nature. So how can you instill that second nature in your students’ lives? Five of the best places to find career readiness lesson plans are: After reading this blog, you should have a more complete idea of what career readiness resources are available to you and if one could be a good fit for you and your students. Provider: Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction Grade Level: 6-12 The Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction has a complete career readiness program for students in the state. Unlike other resources, the State of Washington has created a robust curriculum of career readiness resources for students at each grade level. The program, entitled Career Guidance Washington, features college and career development resources for grades 6-12. For each grade level, instructors will find dozens of lesson plans designed specifically to develop career readiness knowledge and skills relevant to students at that particular grade level. Since Career Guidance Washington is designed for students of different ages, the materials for each grade vary. Each lesson focuses on getting young learners excited about their future goals and developing the skills they need to achieve their dreams. Some of the activities and lesson plans available through Washington’s program include: From an instructional perspective, Career Guidance Washington successfully provides a complete pathway for career preparation for students. Teachers can scaffold their career teaching using just lessons appropriate to their students at a particular time. The lessons can also be sprinkled throughout an entire academic year, so students receive proper instruction at the right time. Educators also appreciate that the program not only covers traditional career readiness activities such as job searches and interest surveys but also touches on the basic 21st Century skills students will need as they enter the working world.1. Career Guidance Lesson Plans from the State of Washington
Why Teachers Love It
Why Students Love It
Students will appreciate that not every activity in Career Readiness Washington is overtly job-focused, nor do the same activities appear every year. Because each exercise is accessible and age-appropriate, students won’t feel overwhelmed thinking about their futures too soon.
Instead, this program does a great job of getting students excited about their future careers without feeling overwhelmed. It also doesn’t neglect that students need to develop skills now to be successful in the future. By including lessons that prepare students first for middle school, then for high school, and finally for college and careers, these lessons help students feel as though they aren’t alone in the process of growing up.
3. Career Development Lesson Plans from the State of Missouri
Provider: Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education
Grade Level: K-12
The Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education knows that career development lesson plans are important, but teachers also need to match lessons to students who can understand them.
That’s why they’ve segmented their lesson plans according to the needs of different grade levels.
That includes emotional development, academic development, career development, and grade levels.
Overall, that makes these lesson plans exceptionally specialized so teachers can find the ones that work best for their classrooms.
Why Teachers Love It
The Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education has a huge range of lesson plans. Teachers can view them in different categories or all grouped together.
That means teachers can identify the category most relevant to their needs, look into it, and pull the lesson plans that work for them.
On top of that, Missouri’s DoE organizes its lesson plans according to scaffolding education. That makes it easier for teachers to see how all of the lessons tie together, and it helps students retain information more effectively.
That’s a big win for any teacher.
The only catch is that you’ll have to tweak these lesson plans for your own state’s standards if you don’t teach in Missouri.
Still, if you have emotional support students or other individualized education plans, Missouri’s career development lesson plans provide an excellent framework for success.
Why Students Love It
These career readiness lesson plans are so specialized that they’re practically guaranteed to apply to any group of students.
That means your students don’t just get a cookie-cutter lesson plan that leaves half the class behind. Instead, they get helpful instruction that applies to them and where they are in life.
It’s really that simple — Missouri has created a strong list of lessons that can work for any student. With that in mind, teachers can start preparing students as young as kindergarten for success after school.
Best of all, students with special needs can keep up just as well. No one is left behind.
3. Middle School College and Career Readiness Lesson Plan from EVERFI
Provider: EVERFI
Grade Level: 6-8
EVERFI is a noted provider of free educational materials for teachers and their students. As an organization, EVERFI aims to help institutions address gaps in the educational system to provide equitable learning opportunities for everyone.
EVERFI designed its Middle School College and Career Readiness Lesson Plan to promote financial literacy to young learners and prepare a blueprint for their future careers.
This lesson plan covers the following learning objectives:
- Identifying their current plan for the future based on their values and interests.
- Compare and contrast how a randomly generated blueprint relates to their personal one.
- Explain why it is important for them to create their own blueprint and not rely on others.
In order to complete the lesson, teachers and their students will need to access EVERFI’s FutureSmart program. FutureSmart is free, but teachers must contact EVERFI directly to create an account and request access. You can also preview the lesson by downloading the lesson plan on EVERFI’s webpage.
Why Teachers Love It
Teachers everywhere are looking for ways to differentiate their instruction and implement blended learning in their classrooms. The interactive, digital FutureSmart resource allows teachers to provide a refreshing alternative to dull career lectures while helping students understand the consequences of good and poor financial decisions.
EVERFI also has data to support the use of FutureSmart as a teaching tool. In March 2021, a University of Massachusetts study found that FutureSmart results in significant gains in financial knowledge among students.
Why Students Love It
When learning a subject like career readiness, students want exciting projects that will engage them. The FutureSmart computer program does just that, allowing students to make hypothetical decisions and better understand the value of sound financial management.
In the FutureSmart program, learners get to play “mayor” and help people in their “town” make sound personal finance decisions based on the principles in the lesson. Students also get to create their own financial blueprint for the future based on their values and interests.
4. When I Grown Up from Workforce Solutions
Provider: Workforce Solutions
Grade Level: 9-12
Workforce Solutions is a career services and human resources company based in the Gulf Coast region of Texas. Workforce Solutions cooperates with local companies and the Texas Workforce Commission to help people find right-fit jobs.
As part of their mission, Workforce Solutions created the free When I Grow Up educational resource for high school students. The When I Grow Up Workbook includes nineteen lessons that can be used either in a self-guided fashion or paired with lesson plans also available from Workforce Solutions.
The 19 career lessons are divided into three categories:
- Skills Identification and Career Exploration
- Job Search Skills
- Employability Skills
Each lesson comes complete with instruction, learning objectives, and potential modifications.
Why Teachers Love It
Workforce Solutions offers complete directions for each of its 19 activities. This means that an instructor can simply look at the guide to set up a lesson based on exactly what outcomes they want to achieve.
The lessons are best taught in a sequence, so teachers who commit to using the entire track of activities could have a couple of weeks’ worth of classroom materials to teach career readiness in high school.
Finally, since Workforce Solutions produced these materials in coordination with the Texas Workforce Commission, teachers will have an easier time demonstrating how these resources match course standards for career preparation.
Why Students Love It
When I Grow Up is different from other career readiness lessons because students can work through materials at their own pace. This means that students can take their time to complete specific assignments and reflect on their long-term goals.
Students will enjoy being able to talk about their career objectives with classmates and sharing their ideas. They’ll also love activities such as judging job applications, speed interviewing, and interview negotiations.
5. Career and College Readiness Lesson Plans from California Career Resource Network
Provider: California Career Resource Network
Grade Level: 5-12
The California Career Resource Network has its own set of standards and career readiness lesson plans.
(These plans apply to post-secondary, four-year education in addition to career development.)
Their extensive list of lessons starts with an “Educator Guide” that prepares teachers for the rest of the CCRN’s content.
The lesson plans themselves are geared entirely at students. They encourage students to look inward and learn about themselves, study the market for their possible careers, and brush up on the skills they need to succeed.
The CCRN’s resources are set up as a process. Students start the process in fifth grade and continue through high school graduation.
By the time students are out of school, they’re adequately prepared for a career or additional education with real-world skills.
Why Teachers Love It
Teachers love the CCRN’s career readiness lesson plans because they cover such a huge range of ages.
In addition, teachers love the scaffolding strategy that we see so often from lesson developers.
CCRN also offers videos, Word documents, and PDFs so teachers can make the most of every class they have at every grade.
As a result, teachers just need to fill in any information gaps they feel are important. Otherwise, they’re ready to teach — complete with Spanish-translated worksheets!
Why Students Love It
Students love these lesson plans because they’re student-focused, procedural, and versatile.
The lessons are student-focused because they ask students to look inward and explore what they value in life. Then, the lessons walk students through different careers that apply to those preferences.
Students also love the procedural nature of the lesson plans. They build off of and reinforce each other so students never lose the information they learned the year prior.
Last, they appreciate the versatility of the lessons, especially if they’re ESL students.
The CCRN prepares these lesson plans in English and Spanish because of California’s large Spanish-speaking population.
Because Spanish is becoming more common throughout the country, any teacher from Texas to Minnesota can use these lessons for students who don’t natively speak English.
Which Career Readiness Lesson Plans are Right for You?
Ultimately, your particular situation will determine which career readiness resources best suit your classroom. You’ll need to think about the amount of time you have to teach career readiness, the specific needs of your students, and the academic objectives you are seeking to accomplish.
Any of these resources could be a great supplement to your existing curriculum, but sometimes you are looking for a quick, easy-to-use resource that you can implement right away.
This free career exploration lesson plan and activity includes material to help students identify possible career choices, along with the steps, certifications, and degrees they will need to achieve their goals.
FAQs
What questions do you have about the topic of career readiness? ›
- Tell me about the last time you had to learn a new task. How did you go about learning it? What, if any tools, did you employ?
- Tell me about a time you did more than was required in your job.
- Step 1: Explore Career Options. ...
- Step 2: Conduct Field Research. ...
- Step 3: Determine Your Job Target. ...
- Step 4: Build Your Credentials and Resume. ...
- Step 5: Prepare for Your Job Search. ...
- Step 6: Launch Your Job Search.
Career readiness is a foundation from which to demonstrate requisite core competencies that broadly prepare the college educated for success in the workplace and lifelong career management. For new college graduates, career readiness is key to ensuring successful entrance into the workforce.
What is an example of career exploration? ›writing resumes and cover letters; conducting mock interviews and providing support for answering interview questions; exploring possible careers and assisting with job, internship, or program searches; developing on-the-job skills (soft skills or technical skills);
What 3 major skill areas does career readiness involve? ›Career readiness involves three major skill areas: core academic skills and the ability to apply those skills to concrete situations in order to function in the workplace and in routine daily activities; em- ployability skills (such as critical thinking and responsibility) that are essential in any career area; and ...
What are examples of career plans? ›- Increase professional knowledge and training. ...
- Increase earnings. ...
- Improve low-functioning work processes or relationships. ...
- Have new experiences. ...
- Attain a leadership role.
- Learn about potential career options.
- Discover growing job markets.
- Identify careers that match your skills.
- Understand career qualifications.
- Assess salaries and other benefits.
- Compare possible career paths.
- Establish SMART goals.
- Develop a career action plan.
- Step 1: Understand yourself. The first and most important step in preparing your career plan is to identify your: ...
- Step 2: Begin with the end in mind. Think about what you want to achieve from your new career. ...
- Step 3: Make it manageable.
In Conley's definition, college and career readiness consists of four “keys”: Key Cognitive Strategies, Key Content Knowledge, Key Learning Skills and Techniques, and Key Transition Knowledge and Skills.
What are the 8 career competencies? ›- Critical Thinking/Problem Solving. ...
- Teamwork/Collaboration. ...
- Professionalism/Work Ethic. ...
- Oral/Written Communications. ...
- Global/Intercultural Fluency. ...
- Leadership. ...
- Digital Technology.
What is career planning and why is it important to me as a student? ›
Career planning is a process for:
Matching your career goals to your financial needs. Matching your career goals to your educational needs. Making good decisions for yourself. Finding ways to meet your educational and financial needs on your schedule.
- 1.Work out your goals and values.
- 2.Work out your preferences.
- 3.Consider the options.
- 4.Have a strategy.
- 5.Review and adjust your plan.
- Career planning resources online.
- Career counsellors.
- Career planning support for people with a disability.
- Registered Nurses and Medical Professionals. ...
- Data Analysts. ...
- Plumbers and Electricians. ...
- Dentists and Dental Hygienists. ...
- Software Developers. ...
- Cybersecurity Experts. ...
- Alternative Energy Installers and Technicians. ...
- Mental Health Professionals.
- Creating Opportunities for Work-Based Learning. ...
- Connecting Students With Local Employers. ...
- Assigning Students Group Work to Encourage Collaboration.
Workplace readiness skills are personal qualities, people skills, and professional traits that are necessary to maintain employment. These skills are important because they are the most desirable skills employers are searching for in potential employees.
How can I improve my work readiness? ›Strong communication, problem-solving and conflict resolution skills can help you improve your ability to work in a team. Some ways to develop your teamwork skills include delegating tasks, communicating clearly and regularly with others and fostering a positive mindset.
How do I write a career plan? ›- How to Write a Career Plan.
- Set your objectives.
- Assess your current position.
- Review your options.
- Create your action plan.
- Updating your career plan.
- Identify Your Career Options. Develop a refined list of career options by examining your interests, skills, and values through self-assessment. ...
- Prioritize. It's not enough to list options. ...
- Make Comparisons. ...
- Consider Other Factors. ...
- Make a Choice. ...
- Set “SMART” Goals.
- STEP 1: Knowing Yourself. ...
- STEP 2: Gather information about the career options in your field of.
- STEP 3: Plan your future skills development. ...
- STEP 4: Making Choices. ...
- STEP 5: Make it Happen. ...
- STEP 6: Assess your career plan.
What are SMART goals? The SMART in SMART goals stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound.
What are the five steps of career planning? ›
- STEP 1: SELF-ASSESSMENT. ...
- STEP 2: IDENTIFY AND RESEARCH OPTIONS. ...
- STEP 3: EVALUATE AND PRIORITIZE. ...
- STEP 4: TAKE ACTION AND TRY OPTIONS. ...
- STEP 5: REFLECT AND RE-EVALUATE.
- Advancing to a leadership position.
- Becoming a thought leader.
- Working toward professional development.
- Shifting into a new career path.
- Experiencing career stability.
- Creating a career goal.
My future plans are having a job I enjoy doing, finding good life-work balance, foster good relationships both at work and in my personal life, and simply enjoy every day as it comes and goes. Of course, I plan to continue working on my language skills, because I want to become better in my work.
What are the most important considerations in choosing a career? ›- Your passions and interests. ...
- Your desired salary. ...
- Education requirements. ...
- Work/life balance. ...
- Travel requirements. ...
- Opportunities for growth and development. ...
- Job market outlook.
- Explore the possibilities. You may be someone who has known for a very long time exactly what occupation you aspire to. ...
- Compare options. ...
- Establish short-term goals. ...
- Establish long-term objectives. ...
- Write SMARTER career goals. ...
- Be flexible and measure your progress. ...
- Write down your goals.
A career action plan lists your professional goals and the steps to achieve them. Your career plan will help you make smart decisions as you prepare for the real world—from activities and clubs to join to internships and jobs for you to pursue.
How do you prepare students for college and career readiness? ›- Teach Study Skills and Research Techniques. ...
- Teach Written and Oral Communication Skills. ...
- Teach “Soft” Skills Like Critical Thinking and Collaboration. ...
- Encourage Independent Learning. ...
- Teach Time Management and Organizational Skills Like Keeping a Planner.
But both are essential for equity. Conley described college readiness as the ability to succeed in entry-level general-education coursework and move into a program of study or academic major. Career readiness, by contrast, he said, is the ability not just to enter into but to advance through a career over time.
What will students be able to better judge by understanding a career pathway? ›You will be able to better plan your path and understand the key steps needed in order to reach a career goal. Also, you will be able to judge if your capabilities, academic levels, educational history match well with a particular career.
How important is readiness to a learner? ›Why are school readiness skills important? The development of school readiness skills allows school teachers to expand and further develop a child's skills in the specific areas of social interaction, play, language, emotional development, physical skills, literacy and fine motor skills.
What is work readiness and why is it important? ›
Work readiness skills are sometimes called soft skills, employability skills, or job readiness skills. These abilities help employees learn how to interact with supervisors and co-workers. They help reinforce the importance of timeliness and build an understanding of how we are perceived by others.
Why is career preparation important? ›A solid career plan is important in that it can provide a roadmap for your future. This, in turn, helps you make informed choices about your current job situation as well as future career moves. A broader career plan is also important when it comes to helping you stay inspired.
What is the most important career readiness skill? ›Employers responding to NACE's Job Outlook surveys have consistently indicated that critical thinking/problem solving, teamwork/collaboration, professionalism/work ethic, and oral/written communications are all essential competencies.
How can I strengthen my readiness for success in a college major? ›- Set ambitious learning goals and take challenging classes. ...
- Take a class on study skills / test taking / research techniques. ...
- Read widely on your own. ...
- Keep up with your assignments and ask for help when you need it.
- Make sure you have time for homework.
Benefits of being college – and career-ready
Being college – and career-ready can support students for a lifetime of health in these ways: Being prepared for postsecondary education or training that can result in better job opportunities. Access to a career that provides sustainable wages and pathways to advancement.
Skills, Attributes & Education
Think about your hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills - skills you've acquired through study, such as culinary arts or computer programming. Soft skills - the people and life skills you possess, including empathy, teamwork, problem-solving and time management.
- What can I do with my major? ...
- How should I write my resume and cover letter? ...
- What should I expect from my next interview? ...
- How can I improve my online presence? ...
- Where can I find a job/internship in my field? ...
- How can I master networking?
- What interests me? ...
- What are my current skills? ...
- What kind of personality do I have? ...
- What education or training do I need to fulfill my career goals? ...
- What is the job outlook for this career? ...
- What's my ideal work-life balance? ...
- How happy am I with my current career?
- What are your expectations of me as an employee in this position? ...
- How can we create an ideal workflow? ...
- Can you recommend any books or media? ...
- What performance goals should I be setting? ...
- How can you help me work toward my personal goals and objectives?
- List your career options. ...
- Organize your list. ...
- Compare and contrast. ...
- Consider peripheral factors. ...
- Choose your most viable career paths. ...
- Identify goals. ...
- Create a plan of action.
What are 7 factors to consider when choosing a career? ›
- Your passions and interests. ...
- Your desired salary. ...
- Education requirements. ...
- Work/life balance. ...
- Travel requirements. ...
- Opportunities for growth and development. ...
- Job market outlook.
- Learn about potential career options.
- Discover growing job markets.
- Identify careers that match your skills.
- Understand career qualifications.
- Assess salaries and other benefits.
- Compare possible career paths.
- Establish SMART goals.
- Develop a career action plan.
- Question:1 – How can I build on my strengths & work on my weaknesses?
- Question:2 – How to select my course & career?
- Question:3 – How can I build a strong profile for college admissions?
- Question:4 – How to reduce anxiety while making career decisions?
Career Guidance is a counseling program that helps students choose the right career path based on their educational and professional choices. A qualitative and quantitative assessment of the student's knowledge skills, information, and experience identifies which career options are available.
Why is it important to relate one's interests to one's career choice? ›Career interests are important because they reflect your preferences in a work environment. Aligning your career with your interests presents several benefits, including the following: Job satisfaction: When you align your career with your interests, you essentially increase your job satisfaction.
What are five important questions you would like to know the answers to regarding your prospective career? ›- What are my skills, personal strengths and interests? ...
- Is this something that I love to do? ...
- How much will I earn? ...
- What kind of training do I need? ...
- What are my career goals?
- Basic needs are met. ...
- Strengths are leveraged. ...
- Pull personal satisfaction from work. ...
- Being in on things. ...
- Treated with respect by peers and managers. ...
- See how one's work fits into the bigger picture. ...
- Personal sense of independence and interdependence.
- Am I doing what I love? ...
- Am I surrounded by people that I care about? ...
- Am I Happy With Where I Am? ...
- Is there more I can do? ...
- Do I feel satisfied? ...
- How do I want to be remembered? ...
- What makes me happy? ...
- How do I look at today?
- Define your goals. Take some time to determine what you want to complete in your career. ...
- Summarize your plan for achieving your goals. Next, describe how you intend to reach your goals. ...
- Focus on how your goals can help the company. ...
- Structure your answer to align with your experience.
- Know your options. ...
- Review the qualifications. ...
- Establish your competitive edge. ...
- Make a list of questions. ...
- Ask for a meeting. ...
- Share your ideas. ...
- Receive feedback. ...
- Ask your questions.
How do you ask for growth opportunities? ›
Show your interviewer that you believe in yourself and your potential to succeed. Example: “I am certain that I have the qualities to succeed in this role and would like to bring my commitment and creativity to future positions in the company. Can you tell me if this job offers opportunities for advancement?”