Empower Your Future - Commonwealth Corporation

SECOND EDITIONSTUDENT WORKBOOKASSESSMENT PROGRAMSEmpoweryour future:The Massachusetts Department of Youth ServicesCareer Exploration Curriculum

tableof contentsUnit 1: Knowing Yourself: Interests, Values and Skills .SW-1Unit 2: Earning a High School Credential: What is the Best Route? .SW-17Appendix .SW-37MassCIS UsernamePasswordEMPOWER YOUR FUTURE: STUDENT WORKBOOK

Empower Your Future: FoundationsEmpower Your Future is a standards-based curriculum designed to help youth develop the academic/technical,workplace readiness and personal/social competencies outlined in the Massachusetts Career DevelopmentBenchmarks, as well as the eight elements of an effective “Possible Self”. The goal is to help youth becomeproactive, resilient and adaptive as they transition back to school or work in their communities.“Possible Self” ElementsDefinitionLife SkillsFinancial literacy, job seeking skills, health and safety,independent living skills to survive on one’s ownCreate Effective GoalsA process to realize one’s potential by taking small steps,tracking progress, identifying motivators, using visualizationand self reflection and adapting to environmental factorsBelieve in YourselfAn internal sense of overall positive self-worth and self-efficacyGet Along with OthersAbility to have positive connections with others, resolve conflictspeacefully, demonstrate empathy, accept responsibility forone’s actionsLearning How to LearnUnderstanding one’s learning strengths and challengesExplore and Pursue Your InterestsSkills to use resources and motivation to do so proactively;career awarenessDevelop Your CharacterRespect for societal and cultural norms, a sense of rightand wrong, integrity, resilienceKnow YourselfSelf awareness with regards to interests, values and skillsSW-iEMPOWER YOUR FUTURE: STUDENT WORKBOOK

Empower Your Future ModelStudents work to acquire the Massachusetts Career Development Benchmarkcompetencies as well as the eight “Possible Self” Elements.Academic TechnicalCompetenciesPOSSIBLE SELFProactive,Resilient, ssCompetenciesSW-iiEMPOWER YOUR FUTURE: STUDENT WORKBOOK

INTRODUCTION TO UNIT 1UNIT 1: KNOWING YOURSELF: INTERESTS, VALUES AND SKILLSDURATION: 5 LESSONS (MINIMUM)UNIT LEARNING OBJECTIVES:KNOWYou will know. The vocabulary associated with this unit Your interests, skills and values as identified via paper and pencil activitiesand the Career Decision Making (CDM) toolUNDERSTANDYou will understand. That different interests, values and skills relate to different career clusters It is important to be thoughtful and thorough in filling out the assessment toolsso they are a true reflection of your interests, values and skillsAnd therefore be able to DO Complete a series of paper assessments Reflect on the results of your assessments Present your reflections to the group Complete Part 1 of the “Empower Your Future Assessment Project”MEASURABLE OUTCOMES: You will complete paper and pencil assessments including the CDM You will complete the Career Puzzle and present it to your class You will complete Part 1 of the Empower Your Future Assessment Project electronicallySW-1EMPOWER YOUR FUTURE: STUDENT WORKBOOK

UNIT 1: KNOWING YOURSELF: INTERESTS, VALUES AND SKILLS UNIT 1 VOCABULARY/TERMSEmpowerto enable an individual to take charge of somethingPossible Selfthe person you imagine you will be in the futureProactiveto think and/or plan aheadResilientto be able to recover from setbacksAdaptiveto be able to adjust to changes in life circumstancesAssessmenta set of questions used to evaluate or determine something about a personOccupational Characteristicsdistinguishing features of a job or careerSkillsabilities or talents a person has; things you can do wellValuesprinciples or qualities considered worthwhile or desirable; things that bringsatisfaction from a jobInterestssomething you like to do or are curious aboutCareera person’s life work; chosen pathCareer clustersjobs with similar characteristicsCareer codea combination of your 2 highest interest area scores on the CDMSW-2EMPOWER YOUR FUTURE: STUDENT WORKBOOK

Occupational Characteristics SurveyIn order to learn more about what kind of job you want someday, answer the following questions by filling in theboxes on the right. Make sure you give reasons why you make the choices you do. Then try to give an exampleof a job that has that characteristic.I would rather work with because:Would you ratherwork with ideas,things or people?An example of this kind of job is:I would rather work because:Would you ratherwork alone orwith people?An example of this kind of job is:I want a job where I wear because:Would you like towear a uniform oryour own clothes?An example of this kind of job is:Do you want to beresponsible formaking decisions orwould you prefersomeone else makethe decisions?I want a job where I do/do not make decisions because:Would you want todo the same thingevery day or wouldyou like to performdifferent tasks?I want a job where I do/do not do the same thing every day because:Do you want a fastpaced job with lotsof pressure or aslow paced job withlittle pressure?I want a paced job with pressure because:An example of this kind of job is:An example of this kind of job is:An example of this kind of job is:I prefer to work because:Do you prefer to worksitting or standing?An example of this kind of job is:SW-3EMPOWER YOUR FUTURE: STUDENT WORKBOOK

I prefer to work because:Would you ratherwork indoorsor outdoors?Do you preferdetailed work or workthat is not focused ondetails?Do you prefer regularhours when mostpeople work orirregular hours(nights, weekends)?Do you want to workin a quiet place orone that is noisy withlots of activity?Do you want to worknear home or wouldyou commute along distance?An example of this kind of job is:I prefer work that is because:An example of this kind of job is:I prefer hours because:An example of this kind of job is:I want to work in a place because:An example of this kind of job is:I want a commute because:An example of this kind of job is:Do you want a jobthat requires physicalstrength andendurance or onethat doesn’t?I do/do not want a job that requites physical strength because:Can you work wherethere may beunpleasant sights,smells or must youhave a clean,pleasant placeto work?I want a job where it is/is not clean and pleasant because:Do you want a jobwhere you can makenew friends or isdeveloping a sociallife through work notimportant to you?I do/do not want a job where I can make new friends because:An example of this kind of job is:An example of this kind of job is:An example of this kind of job is:SW-4EMPOWER YOUR FUTURE: STUDENT WORKBOOK

Would you ratherwork for a smallorganization or alarge organization?Do you want a jobwith excitement andadventure or do youprefer to avoidchallenges and risks?Do you want a jobwith security or areyou willing to take ajob you might lose?Do you want to dounskilled work thatwill require littlefurther education andtraining, semi-skilledwork that requiressome additionaltraining, or skilledwork that will requirea lot more educationand training?I want to work for a organization because:An example of this kind of job is:I do/do not want a job with challenges and risks because:An example of this kind of job is:I do/do not want a job with security because:An example of this kind of job is:I want work because:An example of this kind of job is:From your answers above, what are the 3 MOST IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTICS of a job for you?1.2.3.What jobs do you think might have these three (3) characteristics?Adapted from www.caseylifeskills.org Independent Living Skills Module IIISW-5EMPOWER YOUR FUTURE: STUDENT WORKBOOK

Skills SurveyWhether you are thinking about long-range career goals or a job to earn money right away, you should knowyour skills. Knowing your skills helps you pick a job where you will be successful. You will also be better able todescribe your qualities to an employer in a cover letter or in an interview. From the lists below circle the skills youhave. Then list other skills you have that fit into the different categories.CraftsScientificThe ArtsSocialBusinessOffice OperationsWood workingTaking care ofanimalsWriting MusicTaking careof peopleComputer gamesOrganizingclutterMaking modelsFixing bikesTuning an engineMowing lawnsWriting PoetryUsing amicroscopeDoing scienceexperimentsMeasuringUsing hand toolsUsing acalculatorPainting a roomCaring forFlowers/PlantsSelling thingsDancingMaking peoplelaughLeading a groupUsing Keeping a parttime jobBabysittingUsing acalculatorSingingTeaching peoplenew thingsManaging a listof tasksFollowing abudgetKeeping ajournalGiving advice toothersDeveloping abudgetOperating acash registerTyping fastPhotoshopOther skills youhave that arelike these?Other skills youhave that arelike these?Other skills youhave that arelike these?Other skills youhave that arelike these?Other skills youhave that arelike these?Other skills youhave that arelike WER YOUR FUTURE: STUDENT WORKBOOK

From what you circled and listed, what do you think are your top 3 skills?1.2.3.Each column represents a CAREER CLUSTER (a group of jobs that require similar skills)Which column had the most skills circled and listed?(This is your preferred CAREER CLUSTER)What are some part time or summer jobs in your preferred CAREER CLUSTER?What are some full time jobs that fit into your preferred CAREER CLUSTER?Adapted from www.caseylifeskills.org Independent Living Skills Module IIISW-7EMPOWER YOUR FUTURE: STUDENT WORKBOOK

Values Survey What’s Most Important to You?Fill in the boxes in the 2nd column. Please answer with a complete sentence. After you have filled in the entire2nd column, look back over them and put a check next to the top 5 values that you care about. Then, narrowdown your top values by putting a star next to the 3 that are REALLY the most important to you.ValuesGive an example of a job or situation where this value is exhibitedCREATIVITYTo have a job whereyou can use yourimaginationWEALTH/GOODSALARYTo earn a great dealof moneyHIGH ACHIEVEMENTTo accomplish importantthings or succeed in ajob that is difficultINDEPENDENCETo do work that lets yoube your own boss anddo the job the way youwant without someonewatching over youJOB SECURITYTo have a steady jobfrom which you areunlikely to be firedLEADERSHIPTo direct the work ofothers and makedecisionsaffecting othersOUTDOOR WORKTo work outside mostof the timeSW-8EMPOWER YOUR FUTURE: STUDENT WORKBOOKCheckyour top 5Put a Starnext toyour top 3

ValuesGive an example of a job or situation where this value is exhibitedCheckyour top 5Put a Starnext toyour top 3PHYSICAL ACTIVITYTo do work that calls formoving about and usingphysical strengthPRESTIGETo be seen as successfuland importantRISKTo work in a job thatrequires you to takephysical risksVARIETYTo do many differentand interesting thingsat workWORK WITHYOUR HANDSTo have a job whereyou can use yourhands, machines, ortools to make orrepair thingsWORK WITHYOUR MINDTo do work that requiresa high level ofmental abilityWORK WITH PEOPLETo work in close contactwith people and beable to comfort andhelp othersEXPERTISETo be seen as an expertin what you doSW-9EMPOWER YOUR FUTURE: STUDENT WORKBOOK

ValuesGive an example of a job or situation where this value is exhibitedCheckyour top 5Put a Starnext toyour top 3HEALTHTo maintain physicalfitness and enjoygood healthENJOYMENTTo like work to havefun at itSERVICETo contribute to makingthe world a better placeLOYALTYTo be loyal to acompany/supervisor/employees and havetheir loyalty in returnFAMILYTo have ample timewith familyPOWERTo have influenceover othersWhat are your top 3 values?1.2.3.Adapted from www.caseylifeskills.org Independent Living Skills Module IIISW-10EMPOWER YOUR FUTURE: STUDENT WORKBOOK