1. Start with the End in Mind Reach Higher

2. What impact do you hope to have when you grow up
What impact do you hope to have when you grow up? What career are you interested in?

3. Taking Inventory My Dream Career My Dream Life Having a job I enjoy
Making a difference in the world
My Dream Life
Owning a nice car
Making enough money to be comfortable
Session 1
Taking Inventory
My dream career
Having a job to enjoy?
Making a difference in the world?
Becoming a doctor/biochemist/computer programmer/medical researcher/chef/legislator/EMT/construction worker?
My dream life
Owning a cool car?
Making enough money to be comfortable?
Be well liked?
Get married and have kids?
Giving money to a charity?
Protecting a positive reputation?
Leaving a legacy? 1

4. Skills
Skills
Skills are your talents or abilities, things you are good at doing.
What skills do you have?
Everyone has skills and talents. Many skills are learned in school and used later in life. That’s one reason education is so important – it’s a chance to learn new skills that can be used for a lifetime.
Examples:
Drawing
Good at sports
Solving math problems
Riding a horse
Taking pictures
Playing an instrument
Practicing martial arts
Speaking a second language
Multitasking
Communicating
Organizing
Public speaking 3

5. Interests
Interests
Interests are activities that you enjoy doing. Some interests might be the same as skills; however, you may be good at something (a skill) but not like to do it (an interest). On the other hand, you may like to do something that you’re not good at. You may want to include a personal example.
Examples:
Shopping
Going to movies
Reading
Traveling
Creating graphic designs
Volunteering
Texting
Playing video games
Enjoying nature
Building things
List some skills and interests on page 1. 4

6. Values
Values
Values are your beliefs and ideals. Just like skills and interests, not everyone’s values are the same.
Examples:
Determination
Fairness
Honesty
Loyalty
Trust
Reliability
Selflessness
Circle your top 3 and add your own in the spaces provided on page 2.
Think of someone who has made a positive impact on your life. What qualities do they possess? List at least 3.
How do values affect the workplace?
When you decide on the skills you want to develop, interests you have, and values that are important to you, you are making important choices about your life.
Would you consider a job you dislike for more money?
If you become a professional athlete, do you have a backup plan if you are injured? 5

7. What are Soft Skills? What are soft skills?
Soft skills are habits, attitudes and personality traits that are increasingly important in the workplace.
Review page 34 and complete page 35.

8. Career Interest Survey
Pages 3 - 8
Explain that the next activity will help them focus on career areas that might be of interest to them as they think about their future plans beyond high school.
Check each item that matches your personality and add up the checks. Write the totals on page 8. Identify your top three.
Give students minutes to complete the survey
Who was surprised at their results? Why?
Anyone’s results totally off the mark? If yes, why do you think that happened?
Did the salary attached to a particular career play a part in their decision to list it as a career they want to investigate? Why or why not? 6

9. Career Cluster Career Path Pathway 7 Dive Deeper Into Your Top 3
Turn to that page number to reveal one of your career pathway’s interests.
The Career Cluster title is found at the top of each page (ex. Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources).
Fill in your top 3 career Interest Areas in the spaces provided on page 9. 7

10. Occupations Direct Your Interests
Complete page 10 using Pages 11 – 26 as your guide beginning with the Career Cluster name (16 choices), followed by the Career Pathways and Careers to Investigate.

11. JA Job Shadow Challenge
Job Shadow Site Visit
Speaker Series
Reverse Job Shadow
Career Fair
JA Job Shadow Challenge
Students complete pages 45 – 53 in preparation for the following:
Job Shadow Site Visit
Speaker Series
Reverse Job Shadow
Career Fair

12. Career Paths Which path is right for you? 14
How can your high school course load impact your future plans?
Where can you go for information about career planning? (Counselors, websites)
Who can help you plan out your educational path so you can achieve your dream career? (Find someone in that career. Who do you know? Who do your parents know?)
What do they know about the careers they want to investigate?
Is it a degree or trade school certificate that will make you successful in a career? What else might you need? 14