Career Education
Career education focuses on self‑awareness, exploration, decision‑making, and planning next steps. The Award supports these outcomes by providing a clear structure for goal setting, reflection, and evidence‑building using work students already complete in class. As a co‑curricular framework, it strengthens experiential learning, portfolio development, and transferable skills without adding new curriculum requirements.
Building Your Award:
Find classroom examples to support activity planning
Class activities you can count: Career research, interest inventories, pathway exploration, class assignments/activities, portfolio/resume tasks, mock interviews, reflections etc.
Example SMART Goal: During Career Class, I will improve my understanding of future career opportunities, communication, and collaboration skills by completing career exploration activities, selecting a career of interest, building a portfolio. I will do 1 hour a week to complete each activity and track my progress through feedback and documentation.
Example Assessor: Careers Teacher
Example log for ORB: Today I updated my portfolio with a career research summary and teacher feedback. I improved how clearly I explained why this pathway fits my strengths. Next week I will add evidence that shows a skill I am building and reflect on what changed.
Class activities you can count: Phys Ed participation; fitness routines that support health and readiness.
Example SMART Goal: Over the next 13 weeks, I will improve my cardio and flexibility to stay healthy during gym class. I will stretch legs, arms, back, hands, fingers and increase my walking distance in Phys ed. to build up to more than 2 hours per week.
Example Assessor: Phys. Ed Teacher or Coach
Example log for ORB: Today’s class focused on basic safety to avoid injuries when improving distance running. I learned knowledge and skills to stretch before long walks and runs.
Class activities you can count: supporting career fairs; mentoring; helping younger students with exploration activities; school community support roles. etc.
Service Example SMART Goal: Over the next 13 weeks, I will volunteer 1 hour per week supporting career learning for others at school or in the community. I will document what I did, who it helped, and what I improved each week.
Example Assessor: Hosting teacher, guidance counselor, volunteer coordinator
Example log for ORB: Today I helped a younger student practice interview answers. I improved how I gave feedback by being specific and encouraging. Next week I will bring a simple checklist so the session runs smoothly.
General activity: plan a local “career exploration journey” where the team visits community sites and completes a learning purpose (interviews, observations, notes).
Team SMART goal: Over our overnight journey, we will strengthen teamwork and communication by planning a route, completing at least four structured conversations with community members with different jobs, and completing a group debrief that connects learning to career pathways and next steps.
Supervisor/Assessor: teacher and approved adult support.
Group debrief example: We improved our questions by focusing on training steps and daily tasks, not just job titles. We rotated roles and stayed aligned to our plan. Next time we would build in more time and prepare a backup option.
