BC Education - Physical Education 11 and 12

Career Development

Career development is an ongoing process through which learners integrate their personal, family, school, work, and community experiences to facilitate career and lifestyle choices.

Students develop:

an open attitude toward a variety of occupations and types of work
an understanding of the relationship between work and leisure, work and the family, and work and one's interests and abilities
an understanding of the role of technology in the workplace and in daily life
an understanding of the relationship between work and learning
an understanding of the changes taking place in the economy, society, and the job market
an ability to construct learning plans and reflect on the importance of lifelong learning
an ability to prepare for multiple roles throughout life

The main emphases of career development are career awareness, career exploration, career preparation, career planning, and career work experience.

In the Primary Years

Career awareness promotes an open attitude toward a variety of career roles and types of work. Topics include:

the role of work and leisure
relationships among work, the family, one's personal interests, and one's abilities

A variety of careers can be highlighted through the use of in-class learning activities that focus on the students themselves and on a range of role models, including non-traditional role models.

In Grades 4 to 8

The emphasis on self-awareness and career awareness is continued. Topics include:

interests, aptitudes, and possible future goals
technology in the workplace and in our daily lives
social, family, and economic changes
future education options
career clusters (careers that are related to one another)
lifestyles
external influences on decision making

Games, role-playing, drama, and appropriate community volunteer experience can be used to help students actively explore the world of work. Field experiences in which students observe and interview workers in their occupational environments may also be appropriate. These learning activities will facilitate the development of interpersonal communications and group problem-solving skills needed in the workplace and in other life situations.

In Grades 9 and 10

The emphasis is on providing students with opportunities to prepare for and make appropriate and realistic decisions. In developing their student learning plans, they will relate self-awareness to their goals and aspirations. They will also learn many basic skills and attitudes that are required for an effective transition into adulthood. This will assist in preparing them to be responsible and self-directed throughout their lives. Topics include:

entrepreneurial education
employability skills (e.g., how to find and keep a job)
the importance of lifelong education and career planning
involvement in the community
the many different roles that an individual can play throughout life
the dynamics of the working world (e.g., unions, unemployment, supply and demand, Pacific Rim, free trade)

The examination of personal interests and skills through a variety of career exploration opportunities (e.g., job shadowing) is emphasized at this level. Group discussion and individual consultation can be used to help students examine and confirm their personal values and beliefs.

In Grades 11 and 12

Career development in these grades is focussed more specifically on issues related to the world of work. These include:

dynamics of the changing work force and changing influences on the job market (e.g., developing technology and economic trends)
job-keeping and advancement skills (interpersonal skills needed in the workplace, employment standards)
occupational health issues and accessing health support services
funding for further education
alternative learning strategies and environments for different life stages
mandatory work experience (minimum 30 hours)

Work Experience

Work experience provides students with opportunities to participate in a variety of workplace situations to help prepare them for the transition to a work environment. Work experience also provides students with opportunities to:

connect what they learn in school with the skills and knowledge needed in the workplace and society in general
experience both theoretical and applied learning, which is part of a broad liberal education
explore career directions identified in their Student Learning Plans

Descriptions of career development are drawn from the ministry's Career Developer's Handbook, Guidelines for the Kindergarten to Grade 12 Education Plan, Implementation Resource, Part 1 , and the Career and Personal Planning 8 to 12 IRP (1997).

Last Modified: January 27, 1999.

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