Center for Career Development

Career Preparation Curriculum

In December of 2002 and January of 2003, Center for Career Development staff conducted a series of Career Preparation Curriculum Train-the-Trainer workshops around the state for secondary educators. Although there are no further sessions scheduled at this time, we are making the corresponding Teacher's Guide and Student Handouts available for download (below).

For more information about the curriculum materials or the workshops, email Pauline Stevens at pstevens[at]kvcc.me.edu or Wayne Boardman at wboardman[at]ccd.me.edu.

If you have additional materials (worksheets, lesson plans, resources, etc.) that you would be willing to contribute, please share them with us and we will post them at this site.

Train-the Trainer Teacher's Guide and Student Handouts

The Career Preparation Curriculum Teacher's Guide presents busy educators with a quick, meaningful way to implement the Career Portfolio. The goal of the Guide is to provide clear objectives, age-appropriate lesson plans, and measurable outcomes.

Through a step-by-step process, students will compile important personal, educational, and career information and incorporate this information into the Career Portfolio. A completed portfolio enables students to showcase their acquired learning, increase their chances for quality employment and/or admission to college, and reflect achievement of the Learning Results.

In the career development process, the Career Portfolio being only one step, students will explore a variety of career options, identify their interests and abilities, and ultimately make informed decisions regarding postsecondary training and/or educational programs that are necessary to fulfill their career goals.

Lesson plans, including teacher guidelines and student handouts:

• Introduction and Table of Contents
• Lesson Plan 1A -- What Career Might Be Best for Me?
• Lesson Plan 1B -- Career Choices: Interests, Values, and Skills
• Lesson Plan 2 -- Job Shadowing
• Developing the Career Portfolio -- Checklist and Feedback Form
• Lesson Plan 3 -- Letters of Recommendation
• Lesson Plan 4 -- Resume Writing
• Lesson Plan 5 -- Cover Letter/Letter of Introduction Writing
• Lesson Plan 6 -- Interviewing Skills
• Lesson Plan 7 -- Goal Setting
• Appendix -- Career Preparation Maine Learning Results

Additional materials:

• Career Portfolio -- Student template and directions (to be used with the Career Preparation Curriculum).
• Career Portfolio Rubrics -- Suggested grading critieria for the above portfolio. Developed by Lora S. Downing, Service Learning and Career Preparation Education Specialist, Maine Department of Education.
• Middle School Portfolio -- Abbreviated portfolio template developed for the 7th and 8th grade level.
• Employment handouts and tip sheets from Bowdoin College's Career Planning Center.

These documents are saved as Adobe PDF files.
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