CAREER PLANNING AND SUCCESS SKILLS
CURRICULUM
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Career Planning and Success Skills is a career course that is designed to address the knowledge, skills,
and behaviors all students need to live, plan, and work successfully in today’s society. This course
includes exploring career clusters, developing leadership/teamwork skills, researching/collecting labor
market data, and developing career plans. The employment process is explored through searching for
employment opportunities, completing applications, developing résumés, participating in interviews,
gaining job-survival skills, and understanding employee evaluations. Instructional strategies include
use of the Internet to conduct career research, projects, computer and technology applications, and
cooperative ventures between school and community.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
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Students will explore the changing workplace.
Students will assess personality characteristics and relate these to career choices.
Students will research careers.
Students will complete job applications and prepare résumés.
Students will understand the interview process.
Students will understand the qualities needed to be successful in the workplace.
Students will explore workplace safety and legal matters.
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
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How does one choose a career?
How can one be successful in obtaining employment?
How can one be successful as an employee?
INDIANA STATE STANDARDS
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CPS 1.1 Students develop individual strategies for personal and career success.
CPS 2.1 Students assess personal characteristics as they relate to career exploration, development,
and success.
CPS 3.1 Students apply knowledge gained from self assessment to make future personal and career
decisions.
CPS 4.1 Students develop skills and tools necessary to gain employment.
CPS 5.1 Students relate workplace expectations to career development.
UNITS OF INSTRUCTION (STATE STANDARDS)
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Unit One: Self-Assessment
Unit Two: Exploring Careers
Unit Three: Finding a Job
Unit Four: Joining the Workforce
COURSE ASSESSMENTS
Grades are calculated using a points system. For example, if student earns 240 points out of a possible
305, the points earned will be divided by the points possible and converted to a percentage grade
(240/305 = .787 = 79% = C+). Grades will be assigned using the grading scale found on page 17 of
the student handbook. If an assignment/test is missed due to absence, students are expected to makeup this work in a timely manner. It is the student’s responsibility to meet with me to determine the
deadline for making up work. Failure to do so will result in a zero for missed assignments/tests.
Instructional methods will include the use of lectures, demonstrations, projects, and simulations.
Typically a test will be given once a week. In addition, at least one homework assignment per week is
collected. Students will complete a research paper, prepare a résumé and participate in a mock
interview.
TIMELINE
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Week 1 – Chapter 1 – You and the World of Work (5.5.3, 5.5.4, 1.1.1, 1.1.2)
Week 2-3 - Chapter 2 – Getting to Know Yourself (2.1.1, 2.1.2
Week 3-4 – Chapter 3 – Researching Careers (3.2.1, 3.2.2, 3.3.1)
Week 4-5 – Chapter 4 – Entrepreneurship as a Career Option (3.2.2, 3.3.1, 3.1.1)
Week 5 – Chapter 5 – Developing an Individual Career Plan (3.1.1)
Week 6-7 – Chapter 6 – Finding and Applying for a Job (including the application process and
preparing résumés) (4.1.1, 4.1.2, 4.1.3, 4.1.6, 4.1.7)
Week 7-8 – Chapter 7 – The Interview Process (including a mock interview with member of
community) (4.1.8)
Week 9 – Chapter 8 – Beginning a New Job (5.2.2, 5.1.2)
Week 9-10 – Chapter 9 – Desirable Employee Characteristics & Workplace Ethics (5.1.2)
Week 10-11 – Chapter 10 – Attitudes for Career Success (5.1.2), Chapter 11 –Workplace Health
& Safety (5.1.3), & Chapter 12 – Workplace Legal Matters (5.1.3)
Week 12 – Review and preparation for comprehensive final exam
COURSE MATERIALS: MAJOR TEXTS, PRINCIPAL MATERIALS AND FILMS
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Succeeding in the World of Work, Kimbrell & Vineyard, Glencoe McGraw-Hill, 2006.
3-ring binder (provided by teacher)
Who Would You Hire. DVD. C.W. Publications. 2003 (supplements chapter 7)
A Civil Action. DVD. Touchstone Productions. 1998. (supplements chapter 9)