Opening Doors to a Successful Future C. Diann Heck Wilmington High School Making Career Education Meaningful...

What are you doing after graduation? ► When do you think that you have had enough?  A. GED  B. High School Diploma  C. Associate Degree  D. Bachelor’s Degree  E. Master’s Degree  F. PHD  G. MD

Will you graduate from college? According to the 2004 National Statistics, how many students, on average, from a first grade class of 24 students do you think will graduate with a four year degree? 6

► Make a list of the reasons that you choose this level of education. Give at least five reasons. LESSON 1

How much money do you need to earn? ► Complete a reality check by going to the following link and determine the salary necessary to support your desired lifestyle. Click on link “Get a Reality Check.” reality check reality check art.htm

What careers will support your lifestyle? ► Open up Reality Check and select “Future Salary.” Future Salary.”Future Salary.” ► List five careers that would allow you to live “the life” that you imagine. Select careers that you could actually see yourself working for years. LESSON TWO

How much education do you need? ► Go to ► Go to ► Find the amount of professional development that you need in order to stay in each career. ► For each career, state how training continues once you are “on the job.” For example, Nuclear Station Operators have one week of training every six weeks and must pass a test approved by the Nuclear Regulator Commission every year to operate a nuclear reactor.

Is there a market for your career? ► Pick one career from the list of five that you would most likely enter. ► Go to ► Go to ► Navigate the site and find the job outlook for your career.

Compare the job outlook that is stated in each website.

The Filtration Group ► Requirement for employment Must be 18 years old Manual Dexterity Starting Wages $8.00/hr for assemblers $8.50/hr for packers $9.00/hr for forklift drivers $12.00/hr for machine operators

higher salary jobs with advanced education  Office workers who know Excel and Word  Engineers  Accountants  Computer Programmers The Filtration Group

Local 150 Operating Engineers has three branches ► Heavy Equipment Operators  192 Field Training Hours 6,000 OJT hours (48.5 college credits)

► Heavy Equipment Repair Technicians  864 Field Training Hours 8,000 OJT hours (49 college credits)

► Construction Material Inspectors  720 hours classroom and lab training and 6,000 hours OJT (48 college credits)

Salary ► Apprentice $21.85/hr or $39.85/hr with benefits ► Journey Worker $43.80/hr or $64.10/hr with benefits

The Local 150 Operating Engineers union covers Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa. It has 23,000 members.

About 18,000 of them are working full time. How many of them do you thing are helping to build Trump Tower in Chicago? 8

How many applicants do you think Local 150 has for their apprentice program? 7,900

How many new apprentices did the Operator Engineers hire in 2008? 9

Preparation ► How far up the list do you think a high school diploma will move you over an equally qualified candidate that has a GED? 3000 places

Skills you need to be in Operating Engineer’s Union ► Geometry ► Algebra ► Report writing ► Reading ► Physics ► Geology OTHER IMPORTANT SKILLS ► Interpersonal Skills ► Good Verbal Communication Skills Helpful Classes ► Welding ► Wood Shop ► Auto Shop

Money Management ► Most work 40 weeks a year. ► So money must be budgeted to last through the times when there is no work.

Caterpillar 50% of the current workforce could retire today. Average age of most workers is years old. CAT hires about 30 people a month. How many of those 30 do you think stay? 15

CAT tested 25 applicants on basic math skills: Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of fractions and conversion from decimals to fractions and fractions to decimals. How many do you think passed that test? 1

Shortages at CAT ► Computer Programmers ► Auto CAD trained applicants ► Applicants with good math skills and mechanical aptitude What education or skills are required? High school diploma Two year degree in computer programming Four year degree in engineering

Advancement at CAT ► Every month two new employees are accepted into the tool and die four year apprentice program. ► At completion of the four year program they are eligible to advance at CAT ► Laborers at CAT have become plant managers.

Attendance ► CAT expects all of their employees to be on time and to not miss work. ► How often do you think that you can be late or absent? If you are absent or late for more Than 24 hours, you will be dropped from the apprentice program.

Job Opportunities Electrical Engineers Chemical Engineers Accountants Supervisors Operators Mechanics Marketing Procurement Summer Internships Values Safety Ethics Attitude Punctuality

Landing a job at Midwest Generation Requirement – High School Diploma or GED Pass a test for math and mechanical aptitude. How many applicants with a high school diploma or GED pass the test on average? 50%

How many pass who have a two year college degree? How many pass who are from the military? About 75% 95%

Salary ► Average salary for an operator or maintenance person. $80,000 per year

Salary ► Entry level laborer earns $17-$18 per hour. ► Laborer full pay is $24 per hour. ► After four years, they reach full pay at $34 per hour. ► 80% of the management positions are filled from within the company.

What skill do you think Caterpillar, the Operating Engineers, the Filtration Group, Midwest Generation and the Illinois Department of Employment Security all state is necessary for people entering the workforce? MATH Solve all of the problems on the worksheet without using a calculating. LESSON THREE

Applying for a Job The interview starts with the first contact with the company. Be prepared for an interview even if you are only picking up an application.

Which would your Grandmother hire?

Complete the application. ► Many applicants do not respond to all of the questions.  If you did not have a prior job, draw on your outside activities. ► Do you volunteer at church, school, or for camp? ► Did you work on a project with others? ► Were you part of a team or club? ► What computer programs can you operate?  These experiences tell a potential employer about you.

Where do you find a job? ► Go to ► Job Fairs ► Go to ► Walk-in and ask

Be prepared to take a test. ► You may be asked to take a test. Most employers want employees who can perform basic math problems without using a calculator.

Attitude ► Show your future employer a positive, can do attitude. “We do not hire what we cannot train. We cannot teach attitude.” Brent T. Bedford Midwest Generation

Lesson 4 ► Find a person what is working in your career choice and interview them. ► Find out what they did to get to their place in their career. ► Find what attributes you should possess to be successful in that career. ► Do they need to continue professional development even after they are in their career?