Summary
The K20 Center’s GEAR UP program wants to help you explore career options! This Career Cluster activity will help you think about your skills, personality, and interests to identify which clusters might be a good fit for you. While your interests will likely change over the years, the Career Cluster Survey is a great place to begin your exploration, but the journey won’t end there. You can use what you learn in this survey and apply it to other career activities and exploration.
Overview
What is a career cluster? A career cluster is a group of jobs that are similar. If you like one job in a cluster, you will probably find other jobs in that cluster that you will like as well.
Materials List
Something to write with
Career Cluster Survey—Step 1 (attached)
Career Cluster Survey—Step 2 (attached)
Career Cluster Survey—Step 3 (attached)
Paper copies of each Survey Card in the attached Career Cluster—Survey Step 1, or a blank sheet of paper for keeping score
16 Ways to Survey My Career—Student Guide (optional; attached)
16 Ways to Survey My Career—Parent Guide (optional; attached)
A computer or device with internet access
What to Do
There are three steps to this activity:
Begin first with the attached document Career Cluster Survey—Step 1 and read the instructions. (The instructions are also included in the Activity #1 subsection below.)
Once you complete step 1, open up the document labeled Career Cluster Survey—Step 2 and read the instructions. (The instructions are also included in the Activity #2 subsection below.)
Finally, open up the document labeled Career Cluster Survey—Step 3 and read the instructions. (The instructions are also included in the Activity #3 subsection below.)
Activity #1
Print out the Survey Cards found in the attached Career Cluster Survey—Step 1 handout (see below for an example of a Survey Card). If you are unable to print, you can use blank paper to keep track of your score.
To start the Career Cluster Survey, begin with Survey Card 1. Read each of the statements on Survey Card 1.
On the Survey Card, mark each statement you agree with. For every statement you agree with, give yourself one point.
If you did not print the Survey Cards, use a blank sheet of paper to tally up the number of statements you agree with. Label this tally "Survey Card 1."
Count up your total points for Survey Card 1. You may total your points in the bottom right corner next to "Survey Card Total" or on your blank sheet of paper.
Repeat this process with the remaining 15 survey cards.
Determine your top three Career Clusters based on which three survey cards have the highest number of points.
Once you have your top three Career Clusters, move on to the next step in this activity.
Note: This may take a couple of days to complete. Also, note that your interests may change over time. Try revisiting this survey and its many options throughout your educational career.
Activity #2
Now that you have determined which three career clusters are your top matches, review the descriptions and career options found in the attached Career Cluster Survey—Step 2 handout for each of your top clusters. See below for an example of a Career Cluster Card).
Choose one of your top three Career Cluster Cards and visit My Next Move to further explore this career cluster.
Once you have explored one of the career clusters further, move on to the next step in this activity.
Extend: I Used to Think, But Now I Know
Now that you’ve completed the Career Cluster Survey, reviewed the descriptions of your top three on the Career Cluster Cards, and explored one of the clusters further on My Next Move, take a moment to reflect on what you’ve learned. With this in mind, fill in the "I Used to Think… But Now I Know" T-Chart found in the attached Career Cluster Survey—Step 3 handout.
I Used to Think
Before taking the survey, what career cluster did you think you would fall under?
Did you have preconceived thoughts about certain career clusters that were wrong? If so, what were they?
But Now I Know
What information do you know now that you didn’t before?
How has your thinking changed about the career clusters you focused on during this activity?
Resources
K20 Center. (n.d.). I Used to Think… But Now I Know. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/137
