Test Drive Career Options
Why select your career by trial-and-error? Gather information about a
variety of occupations before you make your final choice. Some of the
following opportunities are available only to students; others may also
be available to adults, but all of them provide a way to learn something
about a career or a place of employment, and may also give prospective
employers a chance to get to know you. Career exploration experiences
can even grow into paid employment!
Find out what’s available through your school or in your community
and take one or more choices for a “test drive.”
AmeriCorps
AmeriCorps provides opportunity for persons age 17 or older to commit
to a year of service in their own communities or elsewhere in the United
States. AmeriCorps members work as part of a team to address community
needs and may work through a variety of agencies and organizations. They
receive training in leadership, public safety, and civics, as well as
for the specific jobs they will do. AmeriCorps members receive stipends
during their year of service and may also earn education awards.
For more information, refer to the AmeriCorps
articles on page 18 of the Career Outlook.
Cooperative (Co-op) Education
Cooperative Education places a student on a job directly related to his
or her classroom instruction. Usually co-op education is a final experience
for a student who has “concentrated” or taken a series of
courses within one occupational preparation program. Since the job is
part of the course the student is enrolled in, the student is monitored
and evaluated at work by both the teacher and the employer. The student
receives a grade for the experience and may also be paid a wage by the
employer.
Internships
An internship is a student work experience with academic credit. It is
a mutually beneficial partnership between a student and an employer. Internships
come in a variety of forms but in all cases are exceptional opportunities
for both students and employers. North Dakota has taken an active effort
to promote internships with employers in the state and the number of opportunities
for students is growing. If you are a student actively looking for an
internship or if you are employer looking for an intern check out ndinterns.com
to find your next opportunity. NDinterns.com,
it’s North Dakota’s Future at Work!
Job Shadowing/Mentoring
Job Shadowing and Mentoring pair the student with a person who does the
kind of work the student wants to explore. The student follows or “shadows”
the worker through a typical work period, from a few hours to several
days. Usually the student is limited to observing the worker but, if the
shadowing experience is long enough, the student may be allowed to perform
some work tasks.
Mentoring is an ongoing relationship between a worker and a student that
sometimes develops from a job shadowing experience but may also result
from other student-worker contacts. The mentor provides information and
advice to the student about preparing for a career in the field, may give
encouragement and other support, or help the student make contacts in
the career field.
Part-Time Jobs/Summer Employment
Part-Time Jobs and Summer Employment in any field can help a person develop
work habits and employability skills and find out what employers expect
of their workers. To use your job as a career exploration experience,
look for a job in a career field that interests you. Find out as much
as you can about the career field while you are employed. For information
on job opportunities around the state, consult www.jobsnd.com,
or the sites for programs that generally need summer employees, such as
www.parkrec.nd.gov/parks/jobs.html.
School-to-Registered Apprenticeship (STRA)
School-to-Registered Apprenticeship (STRA) enables students in grades
11 and 12 to begin an apprenticeship program part-time, if they meet STRA
criteria. Each STRA candidate will have made a career choice and will
be planning to move directly into the full-time workforce after graduating
from high school. Usually a candidate will have gained some knowledge
and skill in the career field by taking related occupational courses in
high school.
Students in STRA spend part of each school day at a worksite for pay.
They learn specific job skills, social skills, and attitudes needed for
success. Each participating student is registered as an apprentice with
the sponsor (employer) and becomes an employee of the business or industry.
After high school graduation, which is required to remain in the program,
the student moves into full-time apprenticeship and continues on-the-job
training and related instruction.
STRA operates through the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Apprenticeship
and Training, in cooperation with the school, the student’s parents
and the student’s employer. For information on apprenticeship, go
to http://www.doleta.gov/atels%5Fbat/
or http://www.careervoyages.gov/apprenticeship-main.cfm
or call the state office of the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Apprenticeship
and Training at 701-250-4700.
Service Learning/Volunteer Service
What makes Service Learning different from other community service activities?
Service Learning is connected to the curriculum in a specific class or
instructional program. Students identify community projects that are related
to what they are learning in that class/program. Carrying out the service
learning activity enables them to apply what they are learning to a real-life
situation.
While service learning is organized within the school, Volunteer Service
is
usually planned by the individual. Many occupations have opportunities
for volunteering, such as: patient/resident assistance services at hospitals
and care centers; peer tutors who help other students with their studies
during school or in after-school programs; animal care volunteers at animal
shelters. There are also short-term volunteer opportunities connected
to special events, such as a community celebration.
Summer Career Academies
Summer Career Academies allow high school students (and some middle school
students) to explore career options in one specific industry. Students
learn about – and practice – skills used in the industry.
They may work side-by-side with workers in that industry. They also learn
about career options and the tools, equipment, safety, and other requirements
for successful and satisfying employment in the industry.
Summer Career Academies generally run 5 days per week for 2-3 weeks.
Students can earn high school credit for participating and may have the
opportunity for work experience with a local business or industry after
the academy ends.
You can review the 2005 Academies at www.nd.gov/cte/statewide-inits/programs.html.
Opportunities for summer 2006 will be posted on the same site in spring
2006.
Work Simulations/School-Based Enterprises
Work Simulations copy the environment and experiences a person might have
on the job, but they are conducted in the school as part of a specific
course or program. For example, students in Early Childhood Careers might
operate a childcare center in the classroom for several weeks, following
the same rules and regulations as a community child care center. Operating
a school store is frequently part of the learning experience for students
in a Marketing Education program.
School-Based Enterprises are actual businesses operated through a school.
They generally operate for longer periods of time than work simulations
do and may be less closely tied to a specific course. Examples of current
School-Based Enterprises in North Dakota schools include: producing the
weekly community newspaper year-round; operating a downtown lumberyard
and hardware store under the direction of a hired manager; operating a
school bank; selling specialized seeds and gourmet popcorn, and selling
and delivering balloon greetings.
To determine which of these career exploration experiences are available
to you, contact your school counselor, student services office, or Job
Service – and don’t forget to look for opportunities on your
own!
To determine which of these experiences are available to you,
contact your school counselor, student services office, or Job Service.
And don't forget to look for opportunities on your own!
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