Career Exploration and Learning
April 2023
What Does Career Exploration Look Like for HF-L Students?
Throughout the year school counselors from Lima Primary to the High School help students explore their interests, talents, academic strengths and goals through in person meetings, field trips, as well as speaker and classroom presentations.
Below is a newsletter devoted to you, our students and families, from all grade levels to help you learn about the opportunities available. The information begins with our primary students in mind and finishes with those closest to launching their careers - our high school students.
First, a little general information that guides our career program: career clusters.
Which Career Cluster is your Path to Success and Happiness?
A career cluster is group of careers that share common features. If you like one job in a cluster, you will probably find other jobs in that cluster that you will like as well. Here are examples:
Health Science Cluster: Health Path
- Biotech
- Therapeutic Services
- Diagnostic Services
- Health Informatics
- Support Services
Human Services: Helping Path
- Hospitality & Tourism
- Government & Public Administration
- Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security
- Education & Training
- Human Services (Counseling, Mental Health)
Natural Resources & Agriculture: Nature Path
- Agribusiness Systems
- Animal Systems
- Food Product & Processing Systems
- Natural Resources & Environmental Service Systems
- Power, Structural & Technical Systems
- Plant Systems
Business Management & Technology: Business Path
Information Technology
Finance
Marketing
Business Management & Administration
Arts & Communication: Creative Path
- Audio & Video Technology & Film
- Printing Technology
- Visual Arts
- Performing Arts
- Journalism & Broadcasting
- Telecommunications
Industrial & Engineering Technology: Building & Fixing Path
- Manufacturing
- Transportation, Distribution & Logistics
- Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics
- Architecture & Construction
Primary Students Can Start Exploring!
Even our youngest career explorers have ways to learn more about careers!
- Check out these K-1 friendly books about jobs.
- Open the "What Tool Do They Use" activity sheets below
Career Exploration for Elementary School Students - It's never too early to start your journey!
Did you know that at Manor School students are introduced to different careers through a program called Virtual Job Shadow? For students to access, they can click here or use ClassLink to sign in automatically. Once there, they can head over to Career Central to explore over a dozen career clusters, watch informational videos and play interactive games. There's even an Interest Inventory to find a career that matches their interests!
During second grade, students make connections with careers and Habits of the Mind through books like Snowmen at Work, by Caralyn Buehner.
Fourth and fifth graders participate in a seven week activity period that focuses on four career clusters and budgeting. Students research careers and identify duties, learn about special training needed, education requirements, income and more building their career awareness.
Career Education at the Middle School
- Complete self-assessments on Naviance
- Explore careers on Naviance
- Learn about job skills
- Write resumes
- Practice job interviews
- Run a business
How do Counselors support Career Education?
- Through classroom lessons in 6th grade, Counselors help students navigate transitions and reflect on their personal values. We pose the question, "How could these topics impact and/or drive your career choices down the line?"
- Time management: Practical skills for Middle School, High School, and beyond.
- Classroom lesson for 7th grade exploring conflict resolution strategies both in class and in the workplace environment.
- Help in the Home & Careers classroom when students are using Naviance
- Hold "minute meetings" based on the online self-inventories
- Assist with resume conferencing and reflections as students prepare for their job interviews
- Conduct the job interviews!
- Teach and guide 8th grade students regarding their High School scheduling options based on long-term goals and interest areas.
Road Trip Nation
Career Exploration at the High School
High School students begin narrowing their career focus throughout their four years. Each year, we meet with students individually to identify their interests and career thoughts during scheduling meetings in January; at that time we help them select courses that support career exploration and providing a basis for future education and work.
For ten years, students at HF-L have discovered the many benefits of their individual Naviance account. What do students do with Naviance while in high school?
9th grade:
- Students utilize a Career Interest Profiler during the FINE (Freshmen in a New Environment) Program. The profiler matches students' interests to potential careers.
- From those results students can explore information about various careers including topics like: career responsibilities, related careers, educational requirements, and salary.
10th grade:
- Students participate in Career Quest where they use Naviance to take a personality inventory that matches their personality type with careers. This task allows them to find jobs that people like them tend to gravitate towards and find success.
- In Naviance, they begin to work on a resume-organizing their activities, jobs and awards in an easy to reference format.
- They learn about Ikigai, a Japanese philosophy that leads to career and life happiness. Here is the video we share with them: Ikigai.
11th grade:
- During Junior presentations (fall and spring English class), students research the career, trade schools, colleges, and military options available to them. Naviance provides a resource for this research and a place to store lists of options, refine their resume and invite teachers for letters of recommendation.
- In the spring semester, Juniors and their parents/guardians are invited to come in for a meeting to discuss the student's plans for their future and partner with the school .
12th grade:
- Students meet individually with their counselor during a fall senior meeting to share their "next step" goals. We provide support and encouragement for the path they have chosen by advising college and financial application completion, offering essay and resume feedback, assisting with job application processing or military paperwork.
Looking for Career Exploration Opportunities During High School?
Shadowing placements in the past have included:
- Medicine
- Legal: Attorney and Law Enforcement
- Physical Therapy
- Accounting
- Education (Pre-K through Grade 12)
- Event Planning
- Manufacturing
Some of the group events have been:
- Rochester Careers in Construction Day
- Careers in Sports Day at Red Wing Stadium
- Careers in Business at RIT
- Southco Plant Tour
If you have a career area in mind that you would like to learn more about, please contact them.
Email: elizabeth.rollins@hflcsd.org
Phone: 585-624-7050