Career Research

• EQ: “What career interests seem the most interesting and why?”

Lesson
* This is the first day of the Career Research Unit, which takes place on WAG curriculum days 156-178.

Introduction to a Career Research Paper
In preparation for this lesson and unit, read “Career Selection”. This is an in-depth research project, and will prepare AVID students for the research projects in 11th and 12th grade AVID, as well as for college research assignments.
This unit will be loosely based on activities 4.12-4.14, but feel free to integrate additional elements which would benefit your students (technology)
Have students conduct a quickwrite over the prompt “What are some of the factors that someone should consider when choosing a career path?”
Have a few students share out, and scribe their answers on the board.
Remind students that in previous years of AVID, we looked at college selection through the lens of “Academic Fit”, “Social Fit” and “Financial Fit”. Explain that these same “fit” areas apply to career selection as well.
Briefly explain, and have students take notes over:
• academic fit – the degree to which the knowledge and specialized skills and abilities (competencies) required by an occupation/ career field align with an individual’s academic interests, skills, and strengths
• social fit – the degree to which the social dynamics and working environment of an occupation/career field align with an individual’s needs, personality, and preferences
• financial fit – the degree to which an occupation/career field’s potential for compensation growth over time aligns with an individual’s evolving financial needs relative to cost of living, lifestyle needs, and financial/life goals
Inform students that they’ll be starting a career research unit, which will include researching a career of interest, writing an essay about the degree to which it is an academic, social, and financial fit for them, and then presenting their research and essay to the class.
Allow students to reflect on their career goals, guest speakers, field trips, and/or personal hobbies. They should also consider careers that they’ve seen on television, movies, etc.
Finally, have students select one career about which they would be interested in researching more. Explain that they will have until day 158 to make a final decision on a career to research.

3. Prompt and Rubric Analysis
Distribute the Career Research Prompt.
• Have students underline key words/phrases in the prompt that will be important to a complete research paper.
Conduct a class share-out, ensuring that all students understand the various components of the prompt.
Provide students with time to look over the Career Research: Rubric.
With any time remaining, have students begin writing their Introduction:
• What do I already know about my topic and what do I want to know about it? What do I already know, think, and assume about the topic? Include personal perspective like why you are interested in this topic or experiences that led you to want to investigate this topic.

4. Technology Extension*
Create a page on www.padlet.com. Give students the address of your page for their class and have them post their quickwrites there and comment on other students’ comments.
Students can then add to decisions on career options, which will be provided for research purposes later in the lesson.