Career Research Projects
Career Research Projects engage students in researching the educational requirements, required skills, salary ranges, job duties, types of work and benefits as well as challenges associated with a particular career field, cluster or pathway. Quality career research projects involve online research, personal interviews with individuals employed in that career, written presentation/reflection and oral presentation of the findings.
Benefits
- Students explore a career field or pathway in which they have an interest
- Enable a large number of students to explore a variety of career opportunities efficiently
- Allow students to practice the career readiness skills of communicating effectively and appropriately through speaking, writing, and professional etiquette
- Offers the opportunity to use a variety of research methods including internet research, library research, job shadowing, personal interviews, etc.
- Engage students critical thinking and decision making as they meet with various career professionals and learn more about the responsibilities and rewards of each career field or pathway they represent
Success Factors
- Clearly communicate the objectives and expectations for the career research project
- Provide a sample worksheet with key questions that should be answered in the research (Salary, educational requirements, job description, occupational outlook, personal characteristics, skills and knowledge needed, career readiness skills needed, advantages/disadvantages/rewards/challenges
- Incorporate interviews into the research to allow practices of verbal and written communication skills
- Require an information presentation of the information and perspectives gained from the career research project
- Provide a clear grading criteria/rubric to guide the career research project activities and specify outcomes