Career Awareness Competencies
Students will develop an understanding of the importance of employment and career development by recognizing the benefits of work, distinguishing between jobs and careers, exploring personal interests and strengths, and using career experiences to make informed decisions about their future education, employment, and independent living.
Level 1: Recognizing Why People Work
Competency 1.1
The student can identify common reasons why people work, including earning money, becoming more independent, helping others, and meeting personal needs.
Competency 1.2
The student can recognize personal benefits of employment, including making friends, participating in the community, learning new skills, and feeling proud of accomplishments.
Competency 1.3
The student can identify examples of jobs found in their home, school, and community.
Competency 1.4
The student can recognize that different people have different jobs based on their interests, skills, and responsibilities.
Level 2: Understanding Jobs and Careers
Competency 2.1
The student can explain several benefits of employment, including earning income, increasing independence, developing relationships, participating in the community, and achieving personal goals.
Competency 2.2
The student can explain the difference between a job and a career using age-appropriate examples.
Competency 2.3
The student can compare short-term employment with long-term career development.
Competency 2.4
The student can describe how interests, strengths, and personal preferences influence career choices.
Level 3: Connecting Career Awarness to Personal Goals
Competency 3.1
The student can identify personal interests, strengths, and abilities that relate to possible jobs and careers.
Competency 3.2
The student can explain how trying different jobs, volunteer opportunities, school activities, or work-based learning experiences can help identify future career interests.
Competency 3.3
The student can describe how skills learned in one job may be useful in future jobs or careers.
Competency 3.4
The student can explain how employment can support personal independence and future life goals.
Level 4: Applying Career Awareness to Future Planning
Competency 4.1
The student can evaluate how their interests, strengths, and experiences influence potential career pathways.
Competency 4.2
The student can explain how multiple job experiences contribute to long-term career development and informed career decision-making.
Competency 4.3
The student can develop a personal career awareness plan that identifies employment interests, experiences to pursue, and future career goals.
Competency 4.4
The student can describe how employment contributes to financial independence, community participation, lifelong learning, and overall quality of life.