Career Development resources

Books

Picture
An Introduction to Career Development and STEAM Careers
"What do you want to be when you grow up?" This is a common and favorite topic of discussion for kids. It's never to early to start talking about how and why people do the work they do.  The Career Explorer is a book that introduces children to the basic principles of the career development process. With the help of Mae Morer, the career explorer, children learn that choosing a career is a life-long process that starts with looking inside themselves at their values, interests, personality, and skills.  Colorful geometric illustrations and rhyming text highlight a selection of possible careers in STEAM fields (science, technology, engineering, art, and math).  
While the focus of the book is career development, it also features characters with hearing aids, glasses, leg braces/crutches, and feeding tubes. I want all children to see themselves in this book!
Recommended Ages 4- 12

Blog Post

web resources

Career Awareness/ Exposure Self-Awareness- Values, Interests, Personality, Skills

ECourse


​Story Time Support

Click picture to download.

Career Activities

careerfamilytree.pdf
File Size: 322 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
Career Interests Activity- (ages 4 and up) 
Directions:
  • Ask the child to draw a picture of something they like
  • Together try to think of a career related to their drawing
ISPY Careers Game- (for children of all ages) 
Directions:
  • One player looks around and chooses a "working person" to describe
  • They say, "I spy with my little eye, someone who is ______" and ends with a description of that person's job
  • The other players take turns asking yes or no questions, until the correct professional is guessed
class_values.pdf
File Size: 73 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File
Career Skills Activity- (for children 4 and up) 
Directions:
  • Unroll a large piece of paper (kraft paper/wrapping paper), the size of the child
  • Tape to floor (use low adhesive tape to avoid damage to the floor) 
  • Have the child lay down and trace the outline of their body
  • Help the child fill the outline with words that describe things they do well
Personality Preference Activity- (for children who can easily write their name)
Directions:
  • Ask the child to write their name on a blank piece of paper.
  • Then ask the child to pretend their dominant writing hand is hurt, and they must use the other hand. Ask them to write their name again, this time with the other hand.
  • Discuss how it felt to use the opposite (non-dominant) hand. Possible responses:
    • Uncomfortable
    • Hard
    • Time-consuming
  • Debrief: Personality is a lot like handedness. 
    • Most people are born with a preference to use one hand over the other.  People are born with a preference to do things a certain way.
    • People are able to use their non-dominant hand to write, if needed. Personality is the same. There may be times when you have to move outside of your natural preferences to accomplish a goal.