Are you looking for some of the best high school career readiness activities? Then, you need this exact list!
It doesn’t have to be boring to prepare high school students for life after graduation. There is no reason why career readiness activities have to be uninteresting!
Every student’s interest can be piqued by having exciting career readiness activities in place. Career exploration can serve as a helpful roadmap for making wise and informed decisions for post-secondary opportunities.
Not only can these kinds of exercises help a student become career ready, but they can also help students identify a career path they are not interested in, which is equally valuable.
This post is all about career readiness activities.
ENGAGING CAREER READINESS ACTIVITIES:
Activity #1: Career Fair
Learning Outcome: Students will be able to identify traits, experiences, and information that are relevant to specific careers.
Description: Who doesn’t love a good ole’ fair? For students, this is the ideal chance to explore and discover possible occupations that pique their interest. You should contact participants months in advance to ensure their attendance if you want your career fair to be a success. You run a greater chance of having a less than expected turnout the longer you wait.
Shoot your shot! Invite alumni and professionals from a variety of fields! Alumni are usually super excited to help out.
Once you establish contact with someone, you can formally ask them to the career fair by getting their email and sending them a formal invitation. You can include a Google form in that email so they can RSVP to the career fair. This will assist you in maintaining organization and improving your tracking of who can attend and who is unable to do so.
Usually, the representatives will bring their own materials, but in the event that they don’t, I’ll list some materials you might need.
Materials Needed:
Gymnasium or a large space
8 foot folding tables
Table cloth
Speaker (optional)
Activity #2: Vision Board Event
Learning Outcome: Students will be able to visualize and critically think about what they want to accomplish personally and professionally.
Description: Students get a fantastic opportunity to visualize their success when they participate in this vision board event. When students participate in a career vision board event, they are obligated to think about their goals and aspirations carefully. They can express their creativity using the provided materials and have fun doing it!
Every student will get the chance to cut out pictures and words that they were able to print off from Google or saw in magazines. The student can glue the images and words that closely relate to their vision for their desired career and future onto the poster board.
Find a location at your school that has a good amount of space for multiple students. Put on some music and provide some snacks to kick it up a notch. An event like this is a hit!
Materials Needed:
Poster board
Scissors
Magazines
Markers
Glue
Stickers
Speaker (optional)
Activity #3: Trivia Game
Learning Outcome: Students will be able to apply their cognitive skills as the trivia game relates to career readiness topics.
Description: No matter how old, kids love a good game! You can set up the trivia game on whatever program you feel most comfortable with. My suggestion would be to use Kahoot. It is super easy to use!
Create some trivia questions related to careers and career readiness. Have a piece of candy, fruit snack, or whatever you see fit as a prize.
I highly recommend that this interactive activity take place during lunchtime when students are coming and going. The school counselor(s) can have a table set up that catches the eye of students. Try to gather three players at a time when the students start to pass by and start the trivia game.
Again, music can make things more fun and engaging for a student so consider bringing a speaker with you.
Materials Needed:
8 foot folding table
Laptop
Trivia questions
Speaker (optional)
Activity #4: Mock Interviews
Learning Outcome: Students will obtain experience in conducting interviews by practicing with career professionals.
Description: Mimicking a real life interview setting is so helpful for students! This provides the opportunity for students to get the much-needed practice. The mock interviews can be conducted in person or virtually.
Fill out an evaluation form throughout the student interview. With this form, every student will be able to identify their areas of strength and areas that may need improvement.
Speak with the students in-depth about the points raised on the evaluation form rather than handing them the form and letting them go.
P.S. Always start with the good!
Materials Needed:
Interviewers
Interview questions
Interview evaluation form
Activity #5: After School Programs
Learning Outcome: Students will be able to demonstrate leadership skills, communication skills, responsibility, and more.
Description: Programs offered after school are essential for helping students become career ready. Participating in various extracurricular activities such as JROTC, debate club, beta club, yearbook committee, and others will help prepare students for post-secondary opportunities. After school programs matter!
Extracurricular activities teach students leadership, communication, responsibility, and more! It also provides the opportunity for the student to truly hone in on their passions which eventually dictate the career path that they would love to pursue.
Tip: Students, get in touch with the administration at your school or your school counselor to find out how you might create your own club if there aren’t any existing ones on campus that you have any interest in.
Materials Needed:
After school programs
Activity #6: Explore Your Interests
Learning Outcome: Student will be able to explore career options that relate to their interests.
Description: I go into great detail on career planning for high school students, as I noted in a recent blog article, and step one is “exploring your interests.” Exploring your interests is also a wonderful career readiness activity.
School counselors can create a document with the questions that I mentioned here.
Watch as your students answer these questions and learn about themselves in front of your eyes. It is very fascinating to see.
Hype them up! Be their cheerleader! The answers to the questions have given a student who initially stated, “I am not good at anything, I am not interested in any career,” some career options to consider.
This is such a great career readiness activity. Trust me and try it out!
Materials Needed:
Worksheet
Explore Your Interests Questions
{RELATED POST: The Ultimate Guide To Career Planning For High School Students}
Activity #7: Career Shadowing
Learning Outcome: Students will be able to gain insight into the roles and responsibilities of an industry.
Description: Choosing a degree and career path might be influenced by career shadowing. A lot of your questions can be addressed by volunteer and job shadowing opportunities.
Career shadowing involves a student following the career professional around as they work. Depending on where you are shadowing, the details of the career shadowing opportunity will vary.
This is seriously the perfect hands-on experience. As a high school student, the best time to be involved with such an opportunity would be during the summer break.
Materials Needed:
Career shadowing opportunity
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