The CAREER CRUISER and the TEACHER’S GUIDE may be viewed on-line at fldoe/workforce/publicat.asp. What Do Middle School Students Need to Know.
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KEYS TO SUCCESS Appearance Œ ˜rst impressions last a long timeAttitude Œ a learned behavior, make it positive Friendliness Œ be generous, give smiles unconditionally Impressions Œ what™s left in the room after I leave Response-Ability Œ take action, exceed customer™s expectationsCommitment Œ my pledge to service and teamworkTeam Thinking Œ my actions e˚ect everyone in my organization Communication Œ active listening and positive responses Service Œ my personal commitment to make a di˚erence Personal Excellence Œ I believe in my ability to make a di˚erence ASSESS Table of ContentsThe CAREER CRUISER and the TEACHER™S GUIDE may be viewed on-line at www.˛doe.org/workforce/publicat.asp.Cruise Into Your Future, Chart It Now! .. 1 What™s Your Passion? .. 2-3 Check Out Your Career Clusters .. 4 Discover The fiUfl in Values! . 5 Personality Rocks! 6-7 Imagine If You Were Your Own Boss 8 Skills for the Workplace . . . Get Them! Keep Them! . 9 EXPLOREWhat Do You Know About the World of Work?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Cools Jobs in Science and Biotech .. 11 Career and Technical Education – Doorway to Your Future! 12 Consider the A-Maze-ing Possibilities . 13 Career Clusters/Occupations 14-17 GenerationGreen .. 18-19 Career Clusters/Occupations (continued) .. 20-32Budgeting Is Common Cents . 33 What Do Middle School Students Need to Know About Financial Aid? 34 Making it to the Pros – the Competition is Fierce! 35 Be A Goal Setter . 36-37 PLAN

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1The Career Cruiser, Florida CHOICES (www.flchoices.org), and ePEP (www.FACTS.org) can get you started to learn more about yourself, explore careers, and make plans for the future!Cruise Into Your Future, Chart It Now!Life is a journey ˜lled with many twists and turns. While the journey can be exciting, it™s a good idea to know where you are going so you can decide how to get there. That™s what career development is all about. Getting the knowledge and skills you need to make more informed career decisions. Right now is an excellent time to develop skills that will help you manage your career throughout life. The following steps can get you started down a pathway for a lifetime of choices: 1. WHO ARE YOU? A. Learn about your interests, what you like and dislike.B. Study your personality and how it ˜ts into di˚erent work environments. C. Your values can also help to determine where you work and how you want to work.D. Don™t forget skills; ones you develop throughout school and those you continue to develop past high school.2. WHERE ARE YOU GOING?A. Learn about the economy, the labor market, and the impact of technology on jobs.B. Explore occupations and how they connect to your interests and abilities.C. Learn about education and training options past high school and how ˜nancial aid can be used to ˜nance your education/training.3. HOW WILL YOU GET THERE?A. Identify the careers and career cluster area that you ˜nd most interesting.B. Set short and long-term goals. C. Select a Major Area of Interest for high school. D. Develop a high school program of study.

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2 What™s Your Passion?Have you discovered what you are passionate about and how that might a˚ect your choice of a career? This activity will help you think about work related tasks and where your interests are today. As you experience life and work place opportunities o˚ered through your school, your interests may grow and change. Listed below are examples of work tasks. Look at each task and ask yourself:Does this appeal to me? Is it something I would enjoy doing everyday? Do I want to learn more about occupations that do this kind of work? 5like very much4like3not sure2dislike1dislike very much1 Research new ways to produce food Care for animals Set up traps to catch crabs, lobster, or shell˜sh Manage a farm Maintain planted areas of trees, ˛owers, or shrubs Total2 Design, build, or remodel homes Survey roads, property lines, and bridges Build roads or bridges Install electrical wiring in a building Install plumbing and bathroom pipes/˜xtures Total3 Write stories or plays Broadcast programs on TV or radio Design a web page Play in a band, orchestra, or music group Operate equipment used in radio and TV TotalAs you explore career clusters, activities like this will help you narrow down your choices so that you don™t use time exploring occupations that don™t match your interests.To find your top interests, use this scale to mark each set of activities.

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311 Follow blueprints to inspect electronic equipment Use computer applications to create reports Repair computers Design programs for computers Write technical directions for engineers Total 12 Protect lives and property from hazards Uncover details of a crime and arrest suspects Study legal documents to ˜nd information Guard money or valuables in an armored car Defend someone in court and advise them about laws Total13 Use small or large power tools to build or repair items Use precision devices to make parts Use machines to shape, cut, or mold metal, fabric or wood Install electrical equipment Build robots Total14 Buy clothing and accessories for a department store Sell advertising space for a magazine Provide beauty treatments for hair, faces, or nails Run your own business over the Internet Sell houses or land Total15 Conduct experiments in a lab Use advanced math to solve complex problems Study causes of animal diseases Study space and the solar system Find alternate power sources Total16 Drive a truck to deliver products Pilot a ship or airplane Drive a bus or taxi Operate a train Manage a distribution warehouse Total4 Type or write reports Prepare tax records for people or companies Manage a store Work with computers Answer the telephone and greet customers Total5 Teach students to read Take care of young children Research test data Teach a Yoga class Coach a team Total6 Keep track of money Sell insurance to people Manage a bank department Prepare ˜nancial records for people or companies Help people invest their money Total7 Plan a skate park Direct a social service agency Participate in fund raisers Make regulations to protect the environment Develop bills to become laws Total8 Examine people and give them medical treatment Give ˜rst aid to patients in an ambulance Help an injured person learn to walk again Process medical records and correspondence Read an X-ray Total9 Escort groups of people on tours Serve meals and beverages to people Umpire or referee a sporting event Plan and conduct activities and trips for tourists Manage a hotel Total10 Counsel people in hospitals, clinics, or schools Help youth, couples, and families resolve con˛ict Advise people about their nutritional needs Hold parenting classes Plan activities for community centers TotalNow total your score in each set of questions. Then play the match game on the next page and find the career clusters that match the number on the checklist where you scored the highest!

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Check Out Your Career Clusters9. Hospitality & Tourism Managing restaurants and other food services, lodging, attractions, recreation events, and travel-related services.10. Human Services Providing for families and serving human needs.11. Information Technology Designing, supporting, and managing hardware, software, multimedia, and systems integration.12. Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security Providing legal, public safety, protective, and homeland security services.13. Manufacturing Processing materials into intermediate or ˜nal products.14. Marketing, Sales & Service Performing marketing activities to reach organizational objectives.15. Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) Performing scienti˜c research and professional technical services.16. Transportation, Distribution & Logistics Managing movement of people, materials, and goods by road, pipeline, air, rail, and water.4 1. Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources Processing, production, distribution, ˜nancing, and development of agricultural commodities and natural resources.2. Architecture & Construction Designing, managing, building, and maintaining the built environment. 3. Arts, A/V Technology & CommunicationsCreating, exhibiting, performing, and publishing multimedia content.4. Business, Management & Administration Organizing, directing, and evaluating functions essential to productive business operations.5. Education & Training Providing education, training and related learning support services.6. Finance Planning ˜nances and investments; managing banking, insurance, and business ˜nances.7. Government & Public Administration Executing governmental functions at the local, state, and federal levels.8. Health Science Providing diagnostic and therapeutic services, health information, support services, and biotechnology research and development.List your top three.1. _____________________ 2. _____________________ 3. _____________________ Careers that have something in common are grouped together. They may share similar job duties, skills, and industries. Total up your scores from boxes 1-16 on pages 2 and 3 and match them to the Career Clusters.

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6 1. How does your energy flow?Extroverts (E) Have a lot of energy Like to be around people Act now, think later Like doing many things at the same time Talk more than listenIntroverts (I) Have quiet energy Like to be alone Think ˜rst, and then act Like to focus on one thing at a time Listen more than talkEvery person has two faces. The Extrovert is directed to the outer world where you seek interaction with people such as discussions, brainstorming, group exercises, projects, and presentations. The other, the Introvert, is focused on the inner world of thoughts, interests, ideas, and imagination. Introverts prefer to study by themselves and in self-directed activities. One of the types usually plays the dominant role.Which best ˜ts you? Extroverts (E) OR Introverts (I)2. What kind of information do you notice and remember?Sensors (S) Like concrete information Like step-by-step instructions Prefer to stick to the facts Rely on past experiences Like clear and precise dataiNtuitives (N) Like creative ideas Like to ˜gure things out Think about the possibilities Trust your gut instincts Like abstract conceptsPERSONALITY ROCKS!What do you know about personality types? Think about it this way . . . We all come in di˚erent shapes and sizes; we all have strengths and weaknesses. Things that are important to you may not be as important to others. Even though we have these di˚erences, learning to develop and improve relationships at home, school, and the workplace might be a great idea!Getting a clue to your own personality may help you right now to do better in teams or group activities, form friendships, and help you select courses for future work options. And later on, it might come in handy in working with all di˚erent kinds of people. The quiz below will give you a glimpse of your personality type by looking at common work tasks and environments. As you compare the two groups under each question, you will probably ˜nd that some of the statements on each side describe you. That™s OK! Just make a decision and check the box by the item on the left OR right that BEST describes you MOST of the time.

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7Sensors like to have clear instructions for assignments and tests. Timelines, details, and data are ideal for this type. On the other hand, Intuitives love to think big, come up with theories, and debate the pros and cons of a concept. They like to do hands-on experiments and create ˛ow charts to show others the concepts. Which best ˜ts you? Sensors (S) OR iNtuitives (N)3. How do you make decisions?Thinkers (T) Base decisions on facts Look for logical solutions Go for honesty and directness Make decisions with your head Love to debate issuesFeelers (F) Base decisions on your feelings Consider how other people feel Go for courtesy and tact Make decisions with your heart Avoid arguments and con˛ictsThinkers love facts and ˜gures. When making decisions, they ˜rst look at logic and consistency. They are great at editing and critiquing the work of others. Feelers look at the people and special circumstances before making decisions. They like to see the value in something and work well when assigned group projects where harmony building is a must!Which best ˜ts you? Thinkers (T) OR Feelers (F)4. How do you relate to your school and the outside world?Judgers (J) Like to make fito dofl lists Have a plan for each day Study ˜rst, play later Finish projects that you start Get to class on timePerceivers (P) Like to stay loose and casual Take each day as it comes Play ˜rst, study later Start projects, but don™t ˜nish Like to be fashionably lateJudgers love a highly structured and organized method of learning. They want to see exactly what they are expected to learn, the deadlines, and how they will be graded. Perceivers prefer a free-˛owing, unstructured learning environment. They like to get new information and options with no timelines.Which best ˜ts you? Judgers (J) OR Perceivers (P)This is a fun activity that is based on the Myers-Briggs® type of questions. All personality types are equal and there is no best type! The point of knowing about personality types is to understand and appreciate di˚erences between people. When you decide which item in each category describes you, you can ˜nd your own personality type which can be expressed as a four-letter code. Place the letter below from each category where you marked the most. Example: E N T JYour personality type is: 1. ____________ 2. ____________ 3. ____________ 4. ____________ You can go to Florida CHOICES Planner at www.˛choices.org and match up your results to the types preferred in occupations. Occupations in Florida CHOICES Planner are coded to Myers-Briggs Indicators. The codes are based on results you would receive from taking the validated instrument.

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8 8 Imagine If You Were Your Own Boss . . .No one could tell you what to wear, what time to come in, what time to leave, or how to wear your hair. You would be the one making the rules and enforcing them. Do you see yourself doing that? To start your own business and truly succeed, it takes not only a good idea but also lots of long hours and hard work. Could this be you? The quiz below will give you an idea if you have what it takes to be your own boss!Circle the number that you feel describes you best. (5= strongly agree 1= strongly disagree)1. You have excellent time-management skills. 5 4 3 2 12. You are competitive. 5 4 3 2 1 3. You stick to a goal even if it means 5 4 3 2 1 changing your plan of action. 4. You are well organized. 5 4 3 2 15. You are independent. 5 4 3 2 1 6. You would rather do something 5 4 3 2 1 right than ˜nish quickly. 7. You are self-con˜dent. 5 4 3 2 1 8. You are willing to work hard. 5 4 3 2 19. You are a creative problem solver. 5 4 3 2 1 10. You like to work under pressure. 5 4 3 2 1How did you score? Your Total Score: ________Over 35You seem to have the skills and motivation that are needed to start and operate a business. Any successful business owners began thinking about a product or service that they could turn into a money making venture as early as middle school. Certainly something to think about as you™re planning your future.Less than 35 Don™t be discouraged. There is no set formula for who can and cannot be a successful business owner. You can improve your chances of success by taking courses in school, studying on your own, observing other successful business owners, and practicing the traits listed in this quiz.

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9Can Needs Do WorkPeople Skills Getting along with others Meeting new people Working on a team Respecting the ideas of others Personal Skills Making ethical choices Motivated and enthusiastic Reliable and dependable Pride in appearance Courteous and respectfulSelf-Management Scheduling your day Setting priorities and goals Being ˛exible Positive attitude toward changeTechnical Skills Using a keyboard Using a word processing program Organizing and analyzing info with spread sheets Developing PowerPoint Learning to cut and paste Using the Internet for research Using e-mailCan Needs Do WorkCommunication Skills Giving class presentations Reading manuals Writing clearly and concisely Listening and responding to what others sayProblem Solving Analyzing information Understanding the problem Identifying the problem Solving the problem Applying the solution Knowing How to Learn Asking questions Reading information Using the library Researching information Joining activities and clubs Responsibility Doing homework Meeting project deadlines Getting to class on time Following a schedule Being on sports teams or clubsCreative Thinking Learning how others have been creative Using your imagination Trying new ways of doing things Looking at issues from a di˚erent point of viewSkills for the Workplace . . . Get Them! Keep Them!There are many ways to develop skills: school, social, and leisure activities, work, sports, hobbies, home chores, and volunteer work. The skills you build during your school years will become the building blocks of your work foundation. Think of yourself now, in school, and evaluate each skill as used in school. Check the box that best describes your level of each skill.

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