Career Goals
"Career goals need to be based upon informed decisions, realistic aspirations, and meaningful outcomes"
Suggestions on best ballancing enthusiasim for these points while being realistic & honest about some of the un-realistic information givin to incoming students.
I would agree that real life examples from guest speakers is one very good choice for the students to stay engaged with the class material and also excited about their career path. I try to bring in as many guest speakers that are available within my community.
Benjamin
Hi Charles,
I'm not sure I understand the situation totally. They are taking the classes for the knowledge but don't have any interest in the career field, correct? How do they plan to use the knowledge they are gaining if they aren't interested in the career field? This is an expensive, both in time and money, way to get knowledge that isn't going to be used.
I would talk with the student services office in your college about some intense career counseling for these students because their presence is of limited value to everyone. On the other hand if they are doing well, progressing in the class and interacting with the other students appropriately then I would continue on since even though they have no interest in the career field, they do have interest in the course knowledge.
Gary
Dr Meers, What do you do when you have students studying and taking classes in a career field that they admittedly have no interest in pursuing? It seems they are taking classes my classes to gain knowledge only.
Emily:
I like your idea about making a formatted paper assignment related to career goals. One thing I do as well is incorporate career goal questions on essay tests.
I have taught freshmen as well as seniors and know that the students benefit from topics about careers during their entire course of study. Assignments related to career goals can be incorporated into almost any class. I plan to use this topic when my students learn to write an APA formatted paper.
Hi, Aaron,
Lately I see students' prospects for success as divided into three groups: those who are very motivated and know or are readily informed about realities, making them good candidates; Those who think they are motivated, think they love their chosen field but haven't yet shown themselves or any work authority that they have the determination and "soft skills" as described in this course and are therefore untested; and and those who don't really posess an idea of what motivation and work ethic are about. I'm not saying someone in that third group won't make it in the world of work after technical school. I am saying that there is a level or two of understanding the student must pass through in order to be be a competiitive candidate. More about this in the admissions process could help prospective students make good decisions and foster early thought about what they are about to attempt. It might bring their career- focused thinking up to speed or lead to a decision not to attend a particular program in the first place. My challenge is to be open to the prospect that with the right support even someone in the third group could come to understand the challenge, develop the motivation and tackle realities, all from a bottom-up beginning. If I don't keep that basic faith I and my students may miss some great opportunities. --Gary
Aaron and Gary,
Yes, when I taught on ground classes several of my friends from the IT field and other areas would come in and talk with the students. The real hit was my buddy from the FBI who talked about foreign espionage.
I'd be curious what some examples would when you teach online? I do take the students to different online sites with job descriptions, etc. but is that adequate?
Hi Aaron,
Two things I do to make the career choices that my students make, which in turn puts them in my class are to have guest speakers come in from the field and tell it like it is. This really helps to make it real for the students. Many of them realize that they don't have interest or desire to work hard enough to be successful in the field. The other thing is I send them out to shadow a professional so they can see what it takes in the field. This either gets the students excited about the field even more or they see that there isn't a good fit between them and the career field.
Gary
