Post #11

After reading Chapter 12, it really gave me some insight into how much goes into designing and implementing career development programs. Looking back, as I have said in previous blogs, I really feel like my school let me down career wise. That being said, I enjoyed the section about program planning tips for the different age groups. I feel if each school would just embrace and execute these tips that it could really make a big difference in people’s lives.

Because my group for the project is elementary age children, I was most interested in reading the tips under that section. I agreed and saw merit in all of the tips. I think it is a good idea to have children explore the different occupations by actually taking them on field trips and seeing what the work environment looks like. Also, the most important tip, is to keep it fun. Children will be much more engaged if they are enjoying themselves. Another major thing that the book points out is now is the time to address occupational stereotypes and have them gain knowledge about themselves and occupations (Brown, 2012, p. 283). I think it is very important for children to know that just because they are male or female doesn’t mean that their occupations are any more or less limited. I also think it is important to know the positives and the negatives of different occupations. Most children only think about the positive aspects of occupations. For example, doctor’s save lives, a psychologist gets to “read people’s mind”, a teacher get summers off, etc. However, they don’t take into consideration that doctors also loose patients, working in the mental health field is not lucrative and has a high burnout rate, and being a teacher demands a high level of patience. I just think it is important for children to have a well-rounded view of the occupations they are interested in.

The other group I was interested in was the high school population because I feel like that is where my schooling really failed me. I was not prepared to enter college, pick a major, and then when I picked a major, I felt like I was already too invested in it to change it. I think students should be allowed to do internships and job shadowing as early as high school. It is important to know what to expect in the job world and have realistic expectations of what it is like. I also would like to have students find out more about their interests and values. It would be good for the students to know themselves before they try to pick a career. They should then be encouraged to develop skills to help them interview, develop resumes, and job searches. Hopefully all of these tips will be implemented in schools and students will have a better experience than I did.

Reference

Brown, D. (2012). Career information, career counseling, and career development (10^th ed.). New York, NY: Pearson Education, Inc.