GWL3O
Unit 4: Bringing It All Together
Activity 2: That's A Wrap Jack
Anik is 18 and, like some others his age, feels he has no direction. He has been a good student and a good citizen but is now faced with uncertainty as he edges toward his adult life. Anik is not afraid of change. In fact, he is excited about the future prospects and opportunities and embraces the realization of the challenges that lay ahead. It’s not the transition that worries Anik – he has been through many in over the years – it is the fact that he does not know what to do next. Most of his friends seem to have a solid grasp on what they are doing after high school, having identified specific career goals, or at least, general fields of interest, and have applied for appropriate programs.
Anik has always been a logical thinker and a planner, but these are big decisions and ones with which he’s struggling. Anik needs a plan - a plan that will take him from where he is now to a job that will provide him the joy he deserves and the lifestyle he wants. It is not motivation that Anik is lacking… it’s simply guidance. That’s where you can help him.
Think About It: Providing Direction on Career and Education Planning and Job Acquisition
Prior to taking this course, it is likely that you could have provided Anik with some general advice, possible actions, and perhaps a few resources. Now, having nearly completed this course, you possess a significant amount of specific knowledge that will be very beneficial to Anik.
Given what you now know, what advice and directions do you have for Anik? What specific actions do you recommend that will take Anik from where he is now to a successful and fulfilling career?
The right decisions are always the hardest to make. But they must be made in order to live the life you deserve.
Think about the decisions you make each day. How many of these decisions could have a significant on you or your life? For these decisions, how much focused and dedicated attention to you actually apply to the decision? Do you feel confident that you have collected sufficient information, determined and weighed the options, forecasted the potential outcomes, and made the best choice?
Each day we make hundreds of decisions, most of which are of little consequence in the long run (e.g., what to wear, what route to take to school, etc.). Occasionally, though, the decisions we need to make may have significant impacts on our lives and our opportunities (e.g., What career should I pursue? What program should I take? Where will I live? What job will I seek? With whom will I connect?). Often, people will make major decisions without taking sufficient time to access all of the resources that are available, identify all of the options, extract, consider, and weigh the pros and cons of each option, and make a grounded and informed decision that will ultimately be the most appropriate, achievable, and beneficial.
I am not a product of my circumstances, I am a product of my decisions.
Decision making is a big part of the action planning process. For instance, each time we choose personal goals that we believe to be realistic, achievable, and in our best interests, we are making significant decisions. Subsequently, each time we select actions that will propel us toward the realization of these goals, we are also making important decisions.
In this culminating task, you will draw from much of the work you have already completed in this course to develop your Career Action Plan - a blueprint, if you will, that can guide toward realizing your career goals.
Of course, things change. We change as individuals and we have unanticipated events and unforeseen opportunities that arise. As such, consider your Career Action Plan to be fluid - ‘carved in Jello,’ rather than, ‘stamped in concrete.’ Still, plotting a destination and a pathway to get there is important in encouraging us to move forward and directing us along the way. Otherwise, we could end up ‘spinning our wheels’ or wandering aimlessly.
Developing an action plan that is grounded in informed and reasoned decisions will guide your toward the success you envision.
Many people do not properly develop a career plan and, as a consequence, do not reach their career goal. They often approach life in an unplanned, willy-nilly manner, taking each day as it comes and hoping that all will end well and as desired. This laissez-faire approach to life -- and your career -- seldom works and can often leave you feeling that you've failed to reach your true potential… Whatever work is required, the end result of careful career planning can be finding a spot in your dream career.
Before creating your Career Action Plan, carefully consider the following model.
Career action planning has two dimensions – one involves ongoing non-linear actions that we perform routinely to help us to get the best job, while the other is more of a linear process that guides us through the stages from selecting an occupation to actually acquiring a position.
The following tables, though simplified and generalized for usability, outline:
- Ongoing Career Actions (which all future and current labour force participants should undertake); and
- Steps in Acquiring a Job (which outline the basic steps, in a linear fashion, that many might follow from the time they identify an occupation to pursue to actually obtaining a job).
When undertaken simultaneously and with great care, these actions will propel you along a career path to which you are best suited, as well as guide you toward the best job for you.
Take a few moments to study these two dimensions carefully. They will be essential to the culminating task you are about to complete.
Ongoing Career Actions (non-linear)
| Ongoing Career Actions | Tasks Referenced (see document below) |
|---|---|
|
Continuously learn more about who I am, e.g.:
|
Tasks 1, 2, 3, 4 |
| Take advantage of additional learning opportunities that come up at school, at work, and in the community. | |
| Take advantage of opportunities to volunteer (at school/ at work/ in the community) and become involved in my community groups, events, and activities. | Task 14 |
| Continually collect and create artifacts that provide evidence of my education/ training, qualifications, skills and aptitudes, work history, volunteer experience and community involvement, accomplishments, and achievements. Construct and maintain my portfolio and website, keeping them up-to-date. | Task 22 |
| Develop and routinely update my Resume, keeping it current. | Tasks 17 and 18 |
| Maintain and expand my personal network, establishing and maintaining connections. | Tasks 15 and 16 |
| Routinely engage the support of community employment and training services. | Tasks 15 and 16 |
| Frequent job posting sites and services and subscribe to alerts. | Task 17 |
| Subscribe to sites, blogs, newsletters, etc. that are related to my current field or occupation of interest. Stay up-to-date on labour market information, trends, and events. | Tasks 6, 7, and 8 |
| Maintain an active, professional, career-related social media presence (e.g., LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, etc.). | |
| Take time often to reflect, to re-assess, to consider new possibilities – explore, plan, and act accordingly. |
If you want to follow any links in the document below, right click and select "Open Link in New Tab" to avoid leaving this page.
Steps in Acquiring a Job (linear)
| Steps in Acquiring a Job | Tasks Referenced (see document below) |
|---|---|
|
Step 1 Choose an occupation that best aligns with my skills, abilities, aptitudes, preferences, interests, and circumstances. |
Tasks 2 and 5 |
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Step 2 Research the occupation to acquire additional information (if still interested – move forward; if not interested – move back to Step 1). |
Tasks 6 and 7 |
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Step 3 Research current and future occupational outlooks and employment prospects if (still interested – move forward; if not interested – back to Step 1). |
Tasks 7 and 8 |
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Step 4 Research specific education / training requirements for employment (if still interested – move forward; if not interested – back to Step 1). |
Task 5, 6, and 7 |
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Step 5 Research appropriate education / training programs (if still interested – move forward; if not interested – back to Step 1). |
Task 12 |
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Step 6 Identify sources of funding and establish a post-secondary budget (if still interested – move forward; if not interested – back to Step 1). |
Task 13 |
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Step 7 Apply for and complete required education / training. |
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Step 8 Locate advertised and unadvertised appropriate employment opportunities that I am interested in pursuing. |
Tasks 16 and 17 |
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Step 9 Cater my resume and cover letter to the specific job opportunities and apply as directed. |
Tasks 17, 18, and 19 |
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Step 10 Cater my portfolio and website to the specific job opportunities and share with my potential employers. |
Task 22 |
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Step 11 Participate effectively in interviews. |
Task 20 and 21 |
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Step 12 Follow up appropriately and as required. |
If you want to follow any links in the document below, right click and select "Open Link in New Tab" to avoid leaving this page.
Now, onto your culminating task – creating your Career Action Plan.
Work With It: My Career Action Plan
You have already completed many of the actions that are listed in the table. In fact, the precise course tasks in which you completed these actions are linked beneath each. Check these out as they will be essential as you construct your plan... hint, hint!
Your task is create a Career Action Plan that is specific to you, given where you currently are in your life, your circumstances, aspirations, and so on.
Your action plan will:
- provide an overview of where you currently are and where you want to be, focusing specifically on your education / training and career goals and, if possible, your target job;
- detail specifically what you have done (and the results) AND what you intend to do regarding both the Ongoing Career Actions and Steps in Acquiring a Job; (Remember to be specific, where possible, with regard to actions, individuals / agencies / services / supports / resources, etc.).
- NOTE: Do not feel you need to address all of the actions listed in the table as some may not pertinent or particularly useful to you. As well, do not limit yourself to only the actions listed as there are likely others that are personally relevant and important to you and your plans for your future.
- NOTE: There are many resources listed along each of the tasks. These are the resources that you consulted during the completion of the task. Only include in your Action Plan those that are particularly relevant and useful to you personally. As well, do not limit yourself to only these as there are likely others that are useful to you given your personal circumstances and intentions.
- NOTE: There are a number of important resources that were consulted during many of the tasks but are not listed on each task to avoid repetition. These are:
- Programs in My School (e.g., Career Cruising, My Blueprint, Ontario Skills Passport, etc.);
- supports in your school (e.g., your Guidance Counselor);
- your personal network;
- Services Near Me; and/or
- Employment and Training Services in My Area.
- outline potential issues that may arise as you activate your action plan as well as strategies that may be helpful in negating these challenges; and
- end with a reflection on how you personally benefited from the process of developing your plan, your most significant insights / learnings / discoveries gained during the process, how you will use your plan in the future, any existing questions you may have that will require you to undertake further exploration, and any other significant and meaningful thoughts that you have with regard to the process and/or the product.
You may choose to construct your action plan in the form of a written report, or you may take a more visual approach. However you decide to approach this task, the most important consideration is that you create a tool or a resource that is specific and detailed, but most importantly, useful to you now and in the future in terms of providing you direction. It is helpful if it can easily be revisited for the purpose of updating and making modifications.
Name your document, “My Career Action Plan".
So, this brings this course to a close…
The hope, however, is that you see it not as an end, but instead as a significant and valuable stepping stone on your path to a successful future, a future founded on decisions and actions that are both informed and reasoned. It is hoped that you continue to use the knowledge you’ve gained and the skills you’ve developed during this course, applying them to the big decisions that lay ahead. It is hoped, as well, that you revisit the resources you’ve collected and the items you’ve created, utilizing them as valuable supports in your future endeavours. You may very well find that what you have gained in this course, if not immediately beneficial, may very soon be the card that gives you the winning hand.
Congratulations on your accomplishment and best wishes for continued successes.
The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.
The future depends on what you do today.
Introduction
Learning Goals and Success Criteria
Learning Skills and Work Habits
Rubric 1