6-12 Career Exploration

Explore your career. Find your path.

A career cluster is a group of jobs that share similar knowledge, skills, and interests. 

For example, the Human Services Cluster has jobs that aid people and families with everyday life challenges. Careers include teachers (supporting development), counselors (handling changes), and social workers (arranging housing, child care, etc.). If you enjoy one job in this cluster, you might like others due to similarities.

Career
Clusters

Career Pathways

What are Career Pathways?

Landing your dream job the first time around isn’t always the case. Most professionals will grow and change jobs several times as they gain skills, expertise, experience, and industry connections.

Career pathways involve professionals starting from entry-level roles like caregiver, nursing assistant, or support worker. As you gain experience and skills, you can advance to positions such as registered nurse, social worker, or healthcare manager. You may even switch industries to advance your career further.

Continuous learning and development are crucial for progressing in your career field. This includes further education, certifications, training, and gaining hands-on experience in various career areas. By expanding your skills and knowledge, you can access diverse career opportunities.

Activities

  • Watch the YouTube video 100 Kids Tell Us What They Want to be When They Grow Up

    Ask, write, or draw exercises (can be done individually or in groups)

    What did you think you wanted to be when you were young? (Give at least three examples)

    What careers have you thought about more recently? (Give at least three examples)

    What do you think makes it difficult to think about or decide on a career for your future?

    How do you think most people decide on their career?

    Ask 3 adults how they decided on their careers and record it in your student journal.

  • View two "Be a _____|Get My Job" videos from WORLD'S COOLEST JOBS - YouTube

    Ask, Write or Draw

    What is one thing you would enjoy if you had each of these jobs?

    What is one thing you would not enjoy in these jobs?

    Watch Famous Failures and then have students ask, write or draw "What is something that you are afraid of failing at?"

  • Finding a Career That Fits (7-12)
    Students will complete a self-assessment to narrow down their options into 3 career clusters.

    Narrowing Down Choices (7-12)
    Students will evaluate occupations against their own personal profiles, while also evaluating the job outlook, needed skills/education, daily tasks, technical skills, and salary.

    Occupation Research (7-12)
    During this activity students will take a deeper dive into occupational titles, dispel myths about careers, and discern factors of compatibility based on Department of Labor information.

    (Lesson Pans from Kent ISD/GVSU)

  • Review the list of careers in the first column of Michigan's Hot Jobs through 2028. In the last column check out the education/training you will need for that career.

    Ask, Write or Draw

    What are 3 jobs that look interesting to you? Do they have similar educational requirements?

    What other information on that list is interesting or important to you?

    1. Write down the three fastest growing occupations you chose and explain your choices. What do they each earn?

    2. Write down the three occupations with the most total job openings you chose and explain your choices. What do they each earn?

    3. Is it better to find an occupation that is growing the fastest or has the highest number of openings? Explain. Is there another factor that you believe is more important than job growth?

    4. Some jobs with the highest number of openings are entry-level jobs and do not pay very well. Do the earnings for the occupations you reviewed look like they would support the type of lifestyle you would like to live? Please explain.

    5. Reflection: How could this information help you choose an occupational goal? Are there other factors that are more important or equally important to consider when setting an occupational goal?

General Resources

Bureau of Labor Statistics

Search all careers in the US by pay, education level, growth rate, and more!

CareerOne Stop

CareerOne Stop provides students/teachers career information and videos!

Education Planner

Check out this great online tool for students to identify careers that match their skills, interests, and vision for their future.

Kent ISD Career & College Readiness

Career readiness lesson plans for teachers from Kent ISD.

KnowItAll

A great tool for teachers, featuring over 8700 media assets!

This teacher resource of interactive lessons, videos, and formative assessments, is built for distance learning, hybrid, and school-based settings. (Sign up required for free trial)

Nearpod

O*NET Online Career Clusters

This national site helps explore careers within clusters, providing in depth information for each career.

Pathfinder

Put on by the Michigan Department of Labor & Economics, this site helps explore various careers.

PBS Learning Media

Career-related, self-paced lessons, videos, and projects.

What Skills Will I Need?

Check out our list of skills that we believe all students need to develop and possess in order to be ready for whatever life throws at them.

Questions? Ideas?