Summary
In this activity, students participate in hands-on career exploration stations then reflect on their new knowledge about career possibilities.
Essential Question
What career possibilities are there?
Learning Objectives
Explore potential careers to determine if there is an interest in pursuing them as an adult.
Snapshot
Introduction
Students learn how to complete the provided career exploration stations.
Knowledge Building
Students visit each career exploration station and complete the given activities.
Reflection
Students reflect on the activities and summarize their knowledge of careers.
Materials List
Career Reflection handout (attached; one per student)
Career Research Poster handout (attached; one per student)
Variety of career exploration activity materials
Poster paper
Markers
Introduction
5 Minute(s)
Begin the session by arranging students into groups at each career exploration station. Provide students with a brief overview of each career exploration station. Inform students of how much time they will have to interact with each station.
Knowledge Building
20 Minute(s)
Provide time for students to complete each career station. Monitor students as they participate in the stations and provide help when necessary. Consider setting a timer to ensure that students have time to visit all stations.
Reflection
20 Minute(s)
Have students return to their desks and give each student one copy of the Career Reflection handout. Provide students time to complete the reflection. Collect students’ reflections as the finish them. Review each reflection to assess students’ feelings about their new knowledge of careers. Use students’ reflections to inform your next career awareness activities.
After you have reviewed the reflections, return the Career Reflections to students. Have students compile all of their Career Reflection handouts into a single collection after they have completed every career exploration station. This collection serves as a comprehensive list of the careers students have explored so they can review their favorites.
Follow-Up Activities
After students have experienced a variety of hands-on career activities, have them create Research Posters. Give each student one copy of the attached Career Research Poster handout then have them research one of the careers from the sessions, completing the handout as they do so.
Have students use their handouts to create posters. After students have completed their posters, hang them along the hallway walls to display their knowledge about the many types of careers available.
Research Rationale
When schools provide opportunities for students to explore careers during the years of secondary school, students are more likely to make informed decisions about the careers they choose to pursue after high school. Additionally, student engagement is increased and graduation rates improve when students are given time to learn about careers (Godbey & Gordon, 2019; James, 2024; Kim & Lee, 2023).
Preschool and elementary-aged students typically acquire ideas about which careers may fit their interests from a small pool of information and judge their ideas about careers based on common misconceptions (Masters & Barth, 2022). To overcome any misjudgments, early education centered around career exploration is necessary (Ginerva et al., 2024). Early career exploration ensures that students comprehend a wide range of potential career pathways and possibilities (Cinamon & Yeshayahu, 2021).
When developing a career education program, educators should include a variety of career interests and outcomes that allow students to determine their potential vocational strengths and talents (Ginerva et al., 2024; James, 2024; Kim & Lee, 2023). To create genuine connections about career possibilities, career exploration should incorporate activities that engage students in hands-on learning. Students are more likely to retain information about potential careers when they participate in hands-on activities that mimic the work of career professionals to the greatest extent possible (Godbey & Gordon, 2019; Groth, 2024; Oliveira & Araújo, 2022; Turnlund, 2019). By exploring job-specific tools or practicing job-related tasks, students find out what careers they are interested in learning more about and discover what careers they are not interested in pursuing (Turnlund, 2019).
Resources
Cinamon, R. G., & Yeshayahu, M. (2021). Children’s occupational knowledge: A conceptual framework and measure. International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance, 21, 15–31. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10775-020-09425-4
Ginevra, M. C., Santilli, S., Hartung, P. J., & Nota, L. (2024). A career education program for early childhood youth: Development and initial evaluation. The Career Development Quarterly, 72(2), 78–92. https://doi.org/10.1002/cdq.12345
Godbey, S., & Gordon, H. R. D. (2019). Career exploration at the middle school level: Barriers and opportunities. Middle Grades Review, 5(2). https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/mgreview/vol5/iss2/2
James, S. L. (2024). A mixed methods case study program evaluation of a middle school career exploration program (Publication No. 31330513) [Doctoral dissertation, Oral Roberts University]. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses. https://login.ezproxy.lib.ou.edu/login?qurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.proquest.com%2Fdissertations-theses%2Fmixed-methods-case-study-program-evaluation%2Fdocview%2F3066204650%2Fse-2%3Faccountid%3D12964
K20 Center. (n.d.). Research poster. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/49
Kim, Y., & Lee, H. (2023). Investigating the effects of career education programs on high school students’ career development competencies in Korea. Sustainability, 15(18). https://doi.org/10.3390/su151813970
Masters, S., & Barth, J. (2022). Do gender conformity pressure and occupational knowledge influence stereotypical occupation preferences in middle childhood? Frontiers in Education, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2021.780815
Oliveira, Í. M., & Araújo, A. M. (2022). Career exploration as a foundation for career developmental learning and academic success in childhood. British Journal of Guidance & Counselling, 50(3), 351–370. https://doi.org/10.1080/03069885.2021.1887814
Turnlund, M. (2019). The experiential-learning track: Career exploration, student interest, & applied classroom-learning in small rural junior-senior high schools. Northwest Journal of Teacher Education, 14(2). https://doi.org/10.15760/nwjte.2019.14.2.5