Project: Career Planning - Principles of Bio-Med Science

Step Description Expected Student Results
1 Letter of Introduction:
Student shares their interests and goals within a career field related to health care, educational plans and hobbies outside of school. Student will share with mentor what we are currently working on in class and discuss with mentor any questions either might have around that topic as well.

Mentor Introduction:
Mentor will introduce himself or herself to student. Share their career and educational background/path as well as some personal interests and hobbies. Mentor shares with student the best times/days for reading and responding to student messages. 		Students will maintain a Career Journal documenting their exploration of numerous careers that are explored over the school year. Within that digital journal, student will highlight conversations with mentor regarding post-secondary and career planning.
Student will complete a letter of introduction to the mentor explaining his/her interests, activities in and out of school and the careers they are most interested in pursuing.
2 Student will self assess where they are in their post- secondary education and career readiness plans by answering the following questions:

1. What is the connection between an interest that you want to pursue and career opportunities in the economy where you live or want to live?
2. What does that industry area require you to do to be competitive in that area?
3. What post-secondary educational programs are available in your state to allow you to compete successfully? If there are none in your state, where can you find those programs?
4. What is your top post-secondary choice where you would like to go to school? What does it take to be competitive in this post-secondary program?
5. For the school that you named above, do you have a relationship with at least one successful alumni from that institution? What about managers that hire students from that institution? If not, how can you make that connection?
6. Describe any authentic work that you have done to date in the field or area of interest that you are pursuing.
7. Do you have a formal career and education plan that you have personally developed? Who is supporting you and holding you accountable to refine and execute the plan?

Student shares their self-assessment with mentor. Student will reflect on what areas need the most research and how they need to develop a plan to be prepared for college and a career.

Mentor:
Please reply to student's responses and highlight areas of strength and weakness. Mentor can explain what employers are looking for in quality in new hires and employees. 		Student completes a self-assessment to see what they currently know and understand about the career they are interested in pursuing.
Answer the questions and share them with your mentor and teacher using google folder "Career Exploration".
3 Research answers to the first three questions in your post-secondary education and career readiness plan:
1. What is the connection between an interest that you want to pursue and career opportunities in the economy where you live or want to live?
2. What does that industry area require you to do to be competitive in that area?
3. What post-secondary educational programs are available in your state to allow you to compete successfully? If there are none in your state, where can you find those programs?

Mentor:
Please review student's responses and provide insight to being competitive in the job market. 		Gather data and information to share with you mentor in this area. Discuss with your mentor your questions and advice they may have for you as you embark on this journey. Document in google folder.
4 Student will share with mentor what we are currently working on in class and discuss with mentor any questions either might have around that topic.

Education and Career Readiness.
Research the programs at your top choice school.
What is your top post-secondary choice where you would like to go to school?
What does it take to be competitive in this post-secondary program?
What are the "weed-out" courses (classes that students often fail the first time or cause to drop out of a program) that students struggle to complete?
How can you be prepared for these classes to be successful?
Document all sources properly using URL.
Share your findings with your mentor.

Answer any questions from mentor or ask questions of your mentor for support. Document all information in folder. Mentor: Please review student's responses and provide feedback or reflective questions for student to consider. 		Student documents responses to the prompts around post- secondary education in Google Docs and shares with mentor and teacher and school counselor. Student shares what they doing in class regarding the current unit within standard curriculum as a quick update with mentor.
5 Student and a partner will follow the guidelines and rubric established by HOSA -Future Health Professionals to develop a visual and verbal presentation on a career cluster or profession.

Student will perform additional research regarding the career they are interested in pursuing or a career which both partners have agreed upon. This may not be the same career in which the students have chosen in the previous steps of this project.

Subtopics should include:
Educational and Career Training requirements
Daily Tasks and Responsibilities
Professional Development
Professional Organizations
Salary
Job Outlook (Is it a growing field? Will there be a job for you in 10-20 years?)
Newest Innovations in this Field (How is it changing to the 21st century?)
It is recommended that student interview a local professional in the career for additional insight.
Student will update mentor their findings specific to the career and post a picture of their display for mentor's review. Student should include a script or description of their oral presentation.

Mentor: Please provide a critique of the student's display and presentation. Offer suggestions to improve the display or presentation so that it would meet high quality standards.

Student will develop a professional looking display and verbal presentation that highlights a career or cluster.
Top performers might represent our program at the HOSA State Leadership Conference or at a school career fair.
Share with mentor questions related to developing a polished presentation and professional display.
6 Post secondary and Career Readiness

For your top choice of school talk with an admissions counselor or a professor within the degree program(s) you are exploring.
Find out what type of research the faculty is working on.
Is this within your interest areas?
Ask what courses students struggle to complete in the degree program and what you can do to prepare for these "weed out" classes.
Develop a plan that will help you be successful.
Include classes you should take now, volunteer opportunities to explore, and other ways to be prepared.
Reflect on suggestions from your mentor and return to your plan and make changes that would be helpful.

Mentor:

Review student's findings and their plan. Share your own successes and some of the areas that were a struggle for you or your peers. Suggest some additional ideas for developing skills that are valuable within industry and education.

Post secondary Readiness

6. Describe any authentic work that you have done to date in the field or area of interest that you are pursuing. (School, Volunteer, Employment).
If you do not have any authentic work what are some possible ways to get these experiences?
What organizations can you contact?
When will you work on making these connections?
7. Do you have a formal career and education plan that you have personally developed? Does it meet an industry or post-secondary standard? Who is supporting you and holding you accountable to refine and execute the plan?

Share with your mentor, school counselor, teacher and parents your answers and research. Ask how you can find authentic work experiences in the industry you wish to pursue both during high school (if relevant) or as a college student. Ask what haven't you considered or thought about yet?

Mentor:

Please offer your expertise to helping student see gaps that are present. 		Document your research and plans in google docs Career Folder. Share with mentor. Document your conversations with an adviser or professor at the school you are researching in your Google Career Exploration folder and share with mentor through email on this site.
7 Reevaluate the questions you were asked at the beginning of this project. Answers should be rich with details as you will use them later to write a formal report.

1. What is the connection between an interest that you want to pursue and career opportunities in the economy where you live or want to live?
2. What does that industry area require you to do to be competitive in that area?
3. What post-secondary educational programs are available in your state to allow you to compete successfully? If there are none in your state, where can you find those programs?
Mentors: Please provide feedback and suggestions.		 Document answers within your google career folder and share with mentor.
8 Reevaluate questions you were asked at the beginning of this project. Your answers should reflect what you have learned over the course of this project being rich in detail as you will use them when you write your formal report.
4. What is your top post-secondary choice where you would like to go to school? What does it take to be competitive in this post-secondary program?
5. For the school that you named above, do you have a relationship with at least one successful alumni from that institution? What about managers that hire students from that institution? If not, how can you make that connection?
6. Describe any authentic work that you have done to date in the field or area of interest that you are pursuing.
Mentors: Please provide feedback and suggestions		 Document answers within your google career folder and share with mentor.
9 Write a minimum of a two page reflection on what you learned through the process.
Include responses to these questions in your reflection.
How did having a mentor assist you with the exploration? How can you apply this process in the future? What new questions do you have? Who can you ask for help? Be sure and thank your mentor for all of their support and insight as well. Write up your formal career and education plan that you developed in a paragraph format. Mentor: Thank you for your support. Please share any final thoughts or encouragements you have for the student. 		Student will share the two page reflection including their formal career and education plan with mentor by uploading a PDF copy on this site. Additionally share the reflection with your school counselor, teacher and parent/guardian. Document your plan within Naviance as well. Include a sincere thank you to your mentor for all of their assistance over the past few months. Student completes Mentored Pathways survey.