horticulture week 3 - s3. web viewcareer development relating to employment opportunities. 2....

Texas Education Agencywww.tea.state.tx.us

Instructional Materials Servicewww.myimsservices.com

Career Development Relating to Employment Opportunities

OVERVIEW

INSTRUCTOR: UNIT: Employability Characteristics of a Successful Worker in the Modern Workplace LESSON: Career Development Relating to Employment Opportunities IMS REFERENCE: IMS #8000-A2

LESSON PLAN

LESSON OBJECTIVESThe student will be able to:

discuss career opportunities in agricultural-related occupations and the need for continued education for advancement;

identify effective methods to secure and terminate employment; demonstrate effective written and oral skills; follow through on assigned tasks; demonstrate dependability and punctuality; demonstrate productive work habit and attitude; develop pride in the quality of work performed; recognize the dignity of work; develop skills in planning and organizing work; apply required methods and sequences when performing tasks; and apply principles of time management and work simplification when performing

assigned tasks.

TOOLS & EQUIPMENT IMS #8000-A2 Power Point titled “Career Development Relating to Employment

Opportunities” Class Notes sheets titled “Career Development Relating to Employment

Opportunities” Worksheet titled “Personality Type Activity and Worksheet” Grading Key titled “Personality Type Quiz Activity Teacher Notes and Grading

Key” Activity Guide titled “Researching Careers Activity Guide” Grading Key titled “Researching Careers Teacher Notes and Grading Key” Activity Guide titled “Resume Activity Guide” Worksheet titled “Personal Resume Worksheet” Grading Rubric titled “Grading Rubric for Personal Resume”

KEY TERMSaptitude career pathwayethics interviewportfolio shadowing

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIALS & RESOURCES Internet Microsoft Word

TEACHING PROCEDURES

PREPARATION

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Key Points MethodsLink/Motivation:

Inform students that according to the U.S. Department of Labor, workers between the age of 18 and 36 change jobs an average of ten times.

Ask students to consider possible factors contributing to this statistic.

Allow time for student response and class discussion.

Overview:

In this lesson, the students will:

discuss career opportunities in agricultural-related occupations and the need for continued education for advancement;

identify effective methods to secure and terminate employment;

demonstrate effective written and oral skills;

follow through on assigned tasks; demonstrate dependability and punctuality; demonstrate productive work habit and

attitude; develop pride in the quality of work

performed; recognize the dignity of work; develop skills in planning and organizing

work; apply required methods and sequences

when performing tasks; and apply principles of time management and

work simplification when performing assigned tasks.

Teacher Led Discussion

Review of Objectives

PRESENTATION Key Points Methods

Introduction

The agricultural industry boasts an abundance of exciting employment opportunities.

Regardless of interest, there is a perfect career, occupation or job out there for everyone.

o Career - involves the general direction of a person’s life as related to work.

o Occupation - involves an area of work with specific duties.

PowerPoint Slides #5-9

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o Job - specific work that has definite duties and is done in a particular place.

By taking a personal inventory of one’s abilities and interests, a person can get an idea of a career field or pathway that may be of interest to him/her.

Careful research and consideration of a potential career helps ensure that an individual doesn’t choose a position that isn’t right for him/her.

Being hired depends on an individual’s ability to express his/her strengths and favorable qualities.

To successfully maintain employment, one must possess the appropriate skills for the job, as well as desirable traits and ethics.

Considerations for Selecting a Career Field

Personal Interests

o Includes hobbies, activities, events, and ideas that a person enjoys.

o Determined by answering the following questions:

What do I do in my spare time? What would I like to do that I haven’t

experienced yet? What do I like to talk about with

others? What is my favorite thing to do?

Aptitudes

o Natural physical and mental talents for learning the skills required for professional choices.

o May be determined based on self-knowledge or tests offered by school.

Abilities

o Capacity to perform a task well.o May be learned and developed, or may

be a natural talent.o Generally, ability for a skill is more easily

acquired when the person has an aptitude for the skill.

Values

o Ideals and principles that a person holds


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most important in life.o May be influenced by parents, teachers,

and friends.

Standards

o Set the basis for the individual’s expectations when their values are questioned.

o Draw the line that the person doesn’t feel comfortable crossing.

o Set for everything including living habits, friendliness, professionalism, self worth, personal ethics, and goals.

Goals

o Aspirations a person strives to achieve.o May include short-term or long-term

goals.

Short-term goal may be to finish a class assignment before the due date.

Long-term goal may be to graduate in the top ten person of their class.

o Set based on values and standards.

Personality

o The way a person behaves and acts.o Identifies a person as an individual.o Involves a person’s emotional and

physical well being and influences others’ views of him/her.

Attitude

o A characteristic of personality.o The way a person feels and acts in

regards to him/her self and others.o Affects the way a person responds to

certain stimulus.o Characteristics affected by a person’s

attitude are listed below.

Dependability Friendliness Loyalty Honesty Initiative Open-Mindedness Self-Confidence

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Self-Control Sense of Humor

Resources

o Resources include skills, abilities, talents, knowledge, and time.

o Tangible resources include money, tools, personal belongings and other resources.

o Personal contacts are also resources.o All types of resources can help one

choose a career.

Researching Careers

Familiarity with career pathways may aide in researching careers.

o Career pathways are groups of occupations with similar broad skill requirements and work responsibilities.

Common career pathways in agriculture are listed below.

o Animal Systemso Plant Systemso Power and Technical Systemso Natural Resourceso Environmental Serviceso Food and Nutritiono Agribusiness

Sources of information for researching careers are listed below.

o Libraries and the Internet

Libraries may offer resources such as:

o Newspaperso Magazineso Bookso Journalso On-line information

Use a library’s card catalog, or an Internet search engine, to search by keyword for information on the career of interest.

o Human Resources


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Includes the following resources that are listed and described below.

o Counselors

o May be able to direct individuals to desired information.

o May maintain up-to-date folders on occupations and required education.

o Mentors and Friends

o May have personal experience and knowledge to share.

o May be willing or able to help one find employment.

o Career Fairs

May include career fairs, career conferences, or career consultations.

Provide direct contact with people employed with the company of interest or in desired career fields.

People are available to answer questions regarding their employers or job opportunities.

o Co-op Employment

Involves a cooperative agreement between the employee and employer to employ a person while they are still in high school or college.

Direct supervision and help is provided to the employee.

Employee usually earns a salary. Individual learns the duties and

responsibilities of the position and workplace.

o Internship

Similar to cooping, but individual usually has some training.

Intern may be assigned a specific person or department to work with or may be assigned general duties.

Interns receive hands-on experience before formal education is complete.

Position may be paid or unpaid. Offers experience and the possibility

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of receiving valuable recommendations for future jobs.

o Apprenticeship

System of employee training that combines on-the-job training with technical instruction.

Programs are most common in fields requiring skilled or “craft-workers” such as electricians and construction workers.

Involves agreement between apprentice and employer regarding length of training, hours of instruction, wages, and skills to be learned.

o Shadowing

Short-term commitment by the individual and company.

Provides individual with an opportunity to follow, or shadow, a professional engaged in a specific career role.

Evaluating Careers

All job opportunities and job offers should be evaluated.

Opportunities should be evaluated based questions relating to the aspects listed below.

o Career Goals

Is there potential for future work involvement?

Is this related to my specific area of interest?

Does this career provide me motivation to seek advancement?

Will there be opportunities to gain the experience needed for advancement?

Is there opportunity within the organization for advancement?

o Job Expectations

What is the desired treatment by employers and peers?

What level of job training is given before assuming responsibilities?


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What degree of responsibility does the employee desire?

Does the company encourage creativity?

How does the company accept new ides?

What are the company policies on gender, religion, and family issues?

Does the company atmosphere reflect social interaction or is social interaction discouraged?

o Affect on Personal Lifestyle

Does the job require relocation, and is relocating acceptable?

Does the time this job requires still allow time to pursue personal interests?

Will there be time to get away from work and relieve job stress?

Will there be time to marry and start a family or devote to a family?

How much time is there for personal social interaction?

Can this job support the desired lifestyle or family?

Will this job conflict with the spouse’s career or agree with it?

Basic information needed to evaluate the position and its appropriateness for the individual includes the issues listed and described below.

o Education Requirements

Education requirements correspond to duties associated with the position.

o As job requirements increase, so do educational requirements.

Commonly required levels of education are listed and described below.

o High School Diploma or GED

o Often the minimum requirement for jobs paying minimum wage.

o Trade School Certification or Associate of Arts Degree

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o Provides a working knowledge of a specific area.

o May include training in technical fields such as computer programming or engine repair.

o Bachelor of Science Degree

o Obtained by successfully completing a college education.

o Entry-level educational requirement for most professional workers.

o Experience in the armed forces may also meet this educational requirement.

If advanced education or training is required for the desired position, one must consider the factors below.

o Time commitment to attend college or trade school.

o Financial investment required.o Level of educational achievement

required.o Possibility of having to relocate in

order to receive the required education.

o Hours of Employment

Considerations regarding hours of employment include the following.

Part-time v. Full-time

o Full-time usually requires 40 hours per week.

Hourly v. Salaried

o Hourly employees are eligible for overtime, but don’t get paid holidays or sick time.

o Salaried employees aren’t eligible for overtime, but generally get paid holidays and

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sick time.

Straight Time v. Shift Work

o Straight time generally means working 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

o Shift work can include late night or early morning hours.

Overtime

o Any time at work over the normal 40 hours.

o Generally only hourly employees are paid overtime.

o Pay is generally time-and-a-half of regular pay.

o Working on a holiday generally pays double time.

o Expected Salary

Salary includes more than just the amount of money being offered for the job.

Salary also includes benefits. Some jobs may offer a higher

salary, but few benefits, or vice versa.

Common benefits are listed below.

Health Insurance Life Insurance Dental Insurance Optical Insurance Sick Leave Vacation Paid Vacation Bonuses Retirement Plan

Securing Employment

Steps in securing employment are listed below.

1. Find job openings.2. Narrow and select employment


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opportunities.3. Submit the following:

Letter of Application Completed application for

employment Resume, vita, and/or portfolio

4. Be interviewed by prospective employer.

5. Send a follow-up letter.6. Consider employment offer.

Sources for Information Regarding Job Openings

Employer Website

o Many large businesses and government offices post openings on their website.

Placement Office

o Some schools, colleges, and other educational institutions have such offices that assist their students in finding jobs.

Employment Agency

o May be operated by government agencies or private businesses.

o Often list openings and help match people with the jobs.

Media Advertisements

o Newspapers, radio, and television may list openings.

o Newspapers often list many job openings and advertisements.

Friends and Family

o May be able to provide information about job openings with their company or other employers, or put you in contact with another person who may be of assistance.

Direct Calling

o Business may be contacted directly to determine if they have any openings.

Selecting Employment Opportunities


PowerPoint Slide #69


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Narrow employment opportunities by weighing each job’s advantages and disadvantages and selecting possibilities that meet career goals and personal needs.

Options that aren’t chosen may still be considered possibilities and alternatives.

Letters of Application

Purpose is to inform the employer of an interest in the job.

Should be addressed to the person responsible for hiring or recommending prospective employees.

Should include three paragraphs addressing the following:

o Position or type of work applying for, along with a brief explanation of how you became aware of the job.

o Description of qualifications for the job.o Request for an interview.

Resumes and Vitae

Can be a key factor in being offered an interview for a job.

Should reflect the person and “sell” the candidate.

Include personal information and qualifications.

Should be neat, well organized, and honest. Differences between resumes and vitae are

explained below.

o Resumes

More commonly used than vitae. Brief. Generally only 1-2 pages in length.

o Vitae

Usually for careers in academics, education, or research.

In-depth. May have additional headings and

pages.

General tips for preparing resumes and vitae are provided below.

o Use a printer that produces a quality image.


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o Select a high quality paper that is white or light in color.

o Font should be simple and 10- or 12-point in size.

Common headings for resumes and vitae are listed and described below.

o Contact Information

First information listed under person’s name.

Should include the information listed below.

o Address

o If address is temporary, also include a permanent address.

o Telephone Number

o Include both temporary and permanent phone numbers if necessary.

o E-mail Address

o Career Objective

Optional heading for both resumes and vitae.

Often included when individual is engaged in broad or ongoing career search.

Should address specific type of employment preferred.

o Education

Should include information about all educational institutions attended.

Should include the following for each institution.

o Dates attended or attending.o Name of institution.o Location of institution.o Education or degree received or

expected.

Institutions should be listed beginning with the current or most recent.

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Also include specific academic honors and grade point average (GPA).

May also include workshops, seminars, or other special training received.

o Work Experience

Should include both salaried and non-salaried positions.

Section should include the information listed below.

o Time (dates) held at each position.o Name of the organization.o Location of the organization.o Duties of the position.

o Activities

May include the following extracurricular activities and community activities.

Also include leadership positions, volunteer work, and community service.

Some may choose to include hobbies within the section or in place of it.

o Honors and Awards

It is particularly important to include awards relating to job performance or the career field.

o References

Includes people who are familiar with the personal character and work experience of the applicant.

Possible references are listed below.

o Former or Present Employerso Supervisorso Teacherso Religious Leaderso Neighbors

Always ask a person’s permission before listing him/her as a reference.

Include 3-5 references, along with their job title, mailing address, phone number, and email address.


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Portfolios

Used to compliment a resume or may stand alone.

Contains examples of a person’s work. Guidelines for compiling a portfolio are

provided below.

o Include only the best and most relevant work.

o Be honest and not afraid to show off individual accomplishments.

o Be selective and concise with information.

o Use terms that explain how your experiences will transfer to the workplace.

o Always write professionally and use correct writing techniques.

o Be creative, but don’t distract from the presentation.

o Remember that portfolios act as a visual and written representation of an individual’s work.

Interviews

Prior to the interview, research the business and desired position.

Questions that can’t be answered through research should be asked during the interview.

Prior to the interview, prepare for questions the interviewer may ask.

Take the steps below to make a good first impression.

o Be on time.

Arrive 5-10 minutes early and allow extra time for travel problems or finding the correct location.

o Dress appropriately.

The general rule is to dress one step above the position for which you are applying.

o Act with professionalism.

Firmly shake the hand of the interviewer.

Wait to be seated until offered a seat


PowerPoint Slide #103

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or ask if you may take a seat. Sit up straight. Make eye contact. Be enthusiastic about the position. Avoid distracting gestures such as

chewing gum, tapping a foot or fingers, fidgeting, etc.

When answering questions, be confident but not boastful.

Don’t limit answers to a “yes” or “no”, but don’t give long drawn out answers.

Thank the interviewer for their time. Remember that the interviewer is

responsible for ending the interview.

Follow-Up Letter

Written to the interviewer following the interview.

Should be professional and brief. Should thank the interviewer for the

interview and reemphasize a desire for the job.

Should ask for contact about the status of the job.

Employment Offers

Every employment offer should be considered carefully.

Each job should be evaluated on its own merits and weighed against other offers before making a decision.

Things to consider when evaluating a job offer are listed below.

o Salaryo Benefitso Working Environmento Work Hourso Travelo Positiono Opportunity for Advancement

If the job is offered and doesn’t meet the applicant’s needs, immediate response is still required.

o Either in person or by phone or mail, thank the interviewer for the offer and briefly explain why the decision was made not to accept the position.

Terminating Employment



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Terminating employment may result from the actions listed and described below.

o Dismissal

Usually permanent. Occurs when the employee hasn’t

lived up to the job expectations.

o Downsizing

Termination is generally a result of the business’ financial problems.

Employee may be rehired at a later date.

Employer may provide a letter of recommendation to assist with job search.

Employee may be eligible to receive unemployment benefits.

o Resigning

Involves employee terminating own employment.

Employee should follow company policies for resignation.

Immediate supervisor should be informed of the resignation before sharing the news with other employees.

Employees should give “two-weeks notice”.

o This allows employer to look for others to fill the position and make plans to temporarily distribute the workload.

It is possible that the employee could be rehired at a later date.

Employer will usually provide a positive recommendation during future job searches.

o Retirement

Usually permanent. Some people retire from a job and

seek another job to supplement their income or keep busy.

Keys to Successful Employment


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General Skills

o Reading Skills

Gives a person the ability to take in and provide new information.

o Writing Skills

Communication using letters, memos, and e-mail is a part of everyday business.

o Math Skills

Essential in every job as well as life for activities involving money and other tasks like determining distances and weights.

o Speaking Skills

Used to communicate with others in the workplace, with customers, and in society.

o Social Skills

Required to get along with people and work with others.

o Logical and Problem Solving Skills

Required to work through difficult situations or problems.

Specific Skills

o Needed for most positions.o May come naturally as a talent or be

developed through training.o Skills are further developed through

successes and failures while performing duties of the position.

Employee Traits

o Ability to work well with others.o Reliability and punctuality.o Ability to follow and carry out directions.o Skill in planning and organizing.o Good time management and ability to

simplify work.o Honesty and loyalty.

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o Neat and professional appearance.

Employee Ethics

o Avoiding use of business time for personal matters.

o Respecting materials as business property.

o Treating co-workers, supervisors, and managers with respect.

o Sharing credit with co-workers and supervisors.

o Making complaints through appropriate channels within the company.

o Showing company loyalty.o Reporting problems if they are illegal,

cruel, harmful to others, or may cause future problems.

Summary

Each person must examine their own personal interests, abilities, skills, and resources when exploring careers.

Using this information can help one determine career ambitions and a career path.

To secure employment, one must work hard, persevere, and be able to sell one’s self through personal documents such as their resume and portfolio and in interviews.

To maintain employment, one must possess and continually develop their skills, personal traits, and ethics.


APPLICATION Key Points Methods

Personality Type Quiz Activity

Students will take an on-line personality type quiz.

Students will document quiz results and reflect on findings by completing the worksheet titled “Personality Type Activity and Worksheet”.

Refer to the document titled “Personality Type Quiz Teacher Notes and Grading Key” for additional information.

Researching Careers Activity

On-line Quiz and Worksheet

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Students will work individually to research an agricultural career.

Students will follow the guidelines set out in the document titled “Researching Careers Activity Guide”.

Students will complete the worksheet found at the end of the activity guide.

Refer to the document titled “Researching Careers Teacher Notes and Grading Key” for additional information.

Personal Resume Activity

Students will work individually to complete the “Personal Resume Worksheet”

Then students will use Microsoft Word’s Resume Wizard to complete their own personal resume.

Refer to the documents titled “Resume Activity Guide” and “Grading Rubric for Personal Resume” for additional information and guidelines.

Computer Worksheet

Worksheet

Resume Wizard and Resume

EVALUATION/ SUMMARY Key Points Methods

Personality Type Quiz Activity

Researching Careers Activity

Personal Resume Worksheet

Personal Resume

Worksheet

Computer Worksheet

Worksheet

Resume

REFERENCES/ ADDITIONAL MATIERIALS

Bear, L. A. and R. Maldonado-Bear. Free Markets, Finance, Ethics, and Law. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1994.

Brown, B. and J.E. Clow. Introduction to Business. U.S.A.: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 2000. Second Edition.

Collis, J. The Seven Fatal Management Sins. Boca Raton, FL: St. Lucie Press, 1998.

Frequently Asked Questions About Apprenticeship and On-the-job Training (OJT) Programs. Minnesota Department of Labor & Industry. [Online].Available: http://www.doli.state.mn.us/faqappr.

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Instructional Materials Service, Texas A&M University. Group Instruction Handbook. College Station, Texas.

Littrell, J. J., J. H. Lorenz, and H. T. Smith. From School to Work. Illinois: The Goodheart-Wilcox Company, Inc., 1996.

Meyer, E.C. and Allen, K.R. Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management. U.S.A.: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 2000. Second Edition.

Stewart, M., J. Lee, S. Hunter, B Schiel, S. Fraze, & R. Terry, Jr. Developing Leadership and Communication Skills. Second Edition. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Interstate. 2004.

EXTENDED LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES/ ENRICHMENT

Department of Labor’s Career Guide to Industries. http://www.bls.gov/oco/cg/home.htm

Exploring Career Information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.http://www.bls.gov/k12/index.htm

Major and Careers Profile by College Board.http://www.collegeboard.com/csearch/majors_careers/profiles/index.html

National FFA Organization’s Career Explorerhttp://www.ffa.org/index.cfm?method=c_job.CareerSearch

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