Natural Resources CoreName:

Doran Period:

Career Research Project

Overview

As part of the Career and Technical Education (CTE) department, it is important for all Natural Resources students to investigate career options and assess personal compatibility with various occupations in agriculture. Furthermore, career evaluation and exploration is the central theme of one of the standards approved by the State of Hawaii Department of Education. (NR Core Standard 2: Evaluate personal interests, strengths and compatibility with various NR careers.)

Throughout Natural Resources Core, students will use the projects described below to explore at least four occupations from areas in agriculture and natural resources.

  • Quarter 1 – Informational Brochure:Research and create a brochure about your assigned job, written for high school students.
  • Quarter 2 – In the News: Find, read, and summarize three news articles involving someone with your assigned job.
  • Quarter 3 – “A Day in the Life”: Describe a day in the life in a narrative journal format of someone with your assigned occupation.
  • Quarter 4 – Mock Job Interview: Present a job interview as if you were applying for your assigned occupation OR Investigation: Interview someone (in person, by phone, or by email) who currently has your assigned occupation.

Vocabulary

  • Job: A position with specific duties and responsibilities in a particular workplace. For example: portrait photographer at the department store in Pleasantville.
  • Occupation: A cluster of jobs with common characteristics requiring similar skills. For example: photographer.
  • Career: The totality of all work—paid and unpaid—one does in his or her lifetime.
  • Gross income: Total income or earnings before deductions for taxes, insurance, or other expenses.
  • Job-specific skill: talent or expertise needed to perform a certain task in an occupation.
  • Transferable skill: Mastery of a skill that can be used in a variety of occupations.
  • Leisure time: Spare time away from work to relax, enjoy hobbies, participate in family activities, etc.

Quarter 1: Informational Brochure

Assignment

After playing the game “Agricultural and Natural Resources Career Trek” in class, you will choose an occupation from the 32 options in the four areas of agriculture of the game. In order to exploreyour new career, you will create an Informational Brochure that helps other high school students to learn about your career. Your brochure must identify the following aspects about your career.

  1. Occupational title
  2. Description of occupation – full time or part time? General responsibilities? Yearly schedule? Daily hours?
  3. Salary – average entry-level annual income, range of average annual income
  4. Required education level and major
  5. Transferable skills
  6. Hours of weekly leisure time
  7. Personal traits needed to succeed in this occupation
  8. List of Sources (at least TWO sources)–include title, author, publication
  9. online, print, or other source is fine

Due: Friday, September 8, 2017

When you create your brochure, consider what will make others WANT to read it. The size must be exactly one 8 ½ inch by 11 inch sheet of paper,front and back. Doran recommends using a brochure template in Microsoft Publisher (part of Microsoft Office) to make your brochure. You may also handwrite your brochure but please make sure it is legible and attractive to look at. Include graphics and captions, if helpful.

Evaluation for Informational Brochure

Component / Possible
Brochure gives correct and complete information for all career aspects:
  • Occupational title
  • Description of occupation
  • Salary – average entry-level annual income, range of average annual income
  • Required education level and major
  • Transferable skills
  • Hours of weekly leisure time
  • Personal traits needed to succeed in this occupation
  • List of Sources (at least TWO sources)
/ 16 (2 each)
Brochure is attractive, captures the reader’s interest, uses graphics well / 5
Brochure is neatly laid out, well-organized, legible, and logical / 5
Brochure uses the correct paper size (8 ½ inches x 11 inches) / 2
Full name and class period is visible on the front of the brochure / 2
Total / 30 points