Understanding the world of work
It is never too early to begin observing the adult world. The adult world involves a number of interrelated life roles. As an adult, each of us acts as an individual, a learner, a producer, a consumer, a family member, and a citizen. Understanding the world of work is important for preparing for all of these life roles. It is critical to formulating a career plan.Understanding the world of work follows closely with the stages of career development. First, your children need to be aware of it. Later, they explore it through investigation and experience, relating it to their own interests, values, skills, and plans. Once they become participants in the world of work, they continue to keep informed in order to actively manage their careers. As a parent, understanding the world of work supports your children, but it also helps you in your own career development.
Experiencing the world of work
Experiencing the world of work may begin as early as middle school, but it will certainly continue well into your children's first jobs. There are many ways for your children to "try on" careers fields and occupations from middle school through college. During college, service learning, part-time work, summer work, and internships all offer the chance to see how a field fits. During middle and high school years, you can:
- Encourage your children to volunteer for organizations in their career interest areas.
- Suggest that your children find part-time or summer jobs that relate to their career interests.
- Help your children arrange to "shadow" someone who works in their fields of interest.
- Find out what kinds of courses are offered in your children's school that would help them prepare for their fields of interest.
- Help your children find an internship or other learning experience related to their career interests. Called "career-related learning experiences," these are required for graduation in Oregon.
What are career-related learning experiences?
Career-related learning experiences link school with work. They are activities that take place in the community, in workplaces, or in the school building to connect classroom learning with the "real" world. These experiences help students answer the question, "Why do I have to learn that?" They also provide opportunities to demonstrate communication, problem solving, teamwork, and other skills in real situations. They also help develop awareness of career opportunities.
Career-related learning experiences take a wide variety of forms. Some schools build them into class work. Others include them with a community service requirement. Still others may make them part of a senior project.
All forms of career-related learning experiences have common characteristics - they are structured around your student's education plan and grounded in real-world problems. The experiences provide the opportunity to use the skills and knowledge learned in the classroom to tackle complex questions and carry out independent investigations. Students receive ongoing coaching and expert advice from a supervisor or mentor.
There are four broad categories of career-Related learning experiences. These are described below:
Work-Based Learning
In work-based learning, students apply their knowledge and skills at a job.
They gain an understanding of workplace expectations and develop some work-related
skills. This type of learning usually takes the form of a work experience
(sometimes for pay) or an internship. A written training agreement covers
what a student intends to learn and demonstrate in the experience. It also
covers what an employer intends to provide. Some examples of work-based experiences
include:
- Internships
Working as interns, students apply information they learn in school. Internships often have strong emphasis on coordinating a job site and classroom learning. Internships provide supervised practical training to advanced students and recent graduates. Students may receive school credit for internships. Credit hours vary with the course of study. Interns may or may not receive pay. - On-the-Job
Training
On-the-job training is a structured work experience in which an employer teaches a student specific job skills. The student receives a wage. On-the-job training can help qualify the student for regular, entry-level work with the same employer. On-the-job training is tied to specific goals in a student's individual learning plan. Also, there is continuous communication during the training between school and job site staff. Employment and training programs, such as Workforce Investment Act (WIA) or vocational rehabilitation, usually coordinate on-the job training. - Cooperative
Work Experience
This program combines classroom learning with work experiences directly related to the goals of a student's educational program. A school and organization write a training and evaluation plan for a student together. They use the plan to guide and measure the progress of the student. Students receive school credits. Cooperative work experiences are also known as cooperative education or Co-op. - Mentorship
A mentorship involves a formal agreement between a student and role model at a job site. The role model, or mentor, gives support and encouragement to the student. The mentor helps the student learn the rules and expectations of a workplace. Mentors may offer advice on careers and school. They may help students solve personal and work problems. While mentoring happens at a job site, classroom studies complement the job experiences. - Job Shadow
In a job shadow, students visit a job site, watch people work, and ask questions. Unlike field trips where students simply walk through the job site, students in job shadows play an active role in learning. They may set up their own job shadows.
Service Learning
In service-learning experiences, students take part in organized
community projects. They use classroom and career-related knowledge and skills
to design
and work in the community service projects. Service-learning projects meet
actual community needs by working in partnership with community organizations.
Students in service learning may apply any of the work-based learning options,
such as mentorship or internship.
Field-Based Investigations
In field-based investigations, students participate
in fieldwork. They work with business and community experts in a field of study.
Students receive
guidance to develop solutions to real-world problems. They may work with
others as part of a group project or independently. Students in field-based
investigations may apply any of the work-based learning options, such as
mentorship or internship.
School-Based Learning
In school-based learning, students manage business enterprises,
projects, or other activities at school. This may involve publishing the school
newspaper
or yearbook or student leadership activities. Other examples of school-based
learning include:
- Workplace Simulations
Workplace simulations provide classroom opportunities for watching and taking part in various real work site activities. The activities help students understand what it's like to work in an organization without visiting the actual work site. The school-based activities simulate the workplace by using videos, computer link-ups, and other creative methods. - School-Based Enterprises
Students create and operate real businesses. The school acts as a protected business setting and gives students entrepreneurial, professional, technical, and academic instruction. School-based enterprises create or strengthen links between what students learn in the classroom and what they learn working in the businesses.
Technology-Based Learning
Students use video conferencing, the Internet, and
e-mail to complete project work. They receive guidance from community mentors,
employers, and partners
in community organizations. Technology-based learning may be part of a student's
work-based, field-based, or school-based experiences.