College and Career Month

Skilled Trades Week : Week of Oct 2

This week’s theme is skilled trades. In today’s ever-changing job market, a strong foundation in skilled trades is more valuable than ever. There is a significant shortage of skilled workers, and the industry is expected to grow by 10% by 2028.

Skilled trades are careers that involve working hands-on with a particular skill set or expertise acquired by years of specialized training and education.

Please explore the Skilled Trades portion of your CCR Resource Guide.

Elementary
 

• Many of our schools are experiencing bond renovations where construction workers are present and active on site.  This is a great opportunity to 
  • Explore the CCR library at your school.  All of the titles purchased by the CCR Library can be found in your CCR Resource Guide.
  • Do you have relatives or family members who work in the trade industry? Here are some questions you can ask them:
    • When did this person start their career? 
    • Did they have any education/training? If so, where did they go? 
    • How did they get started in their career? 
    • What problem(s) do they solve on a daily basis? 
    • What is something encouraging about this person? 
    • What was/is their salary? 

Secondary
 

• Have students update their Education Development Portfolio (EDP) in Xello.  Your counseling and CCR teams can help support this effort at your building.  All students in grades 7-12 are required to update their EDP each year.
• Have students interview people in the trades industry (with a phone call, email or Google Meet) and build their communication skills at the same time. 
• Have students research a career that aligns with their EDP.  Create a presentation/poster/essay/etc. 
  • Do you have relatives or family members that work in the skilled trades industry. Here are some questions you can ask them:
    • When did this person start their career? 
    • Did they have any education/training? If so, where did they go? 
    • How did they get started in their career? 
    • What problem(s) do they solve on a daily basis? 
    • What is something encouraging about this person? 
    • What was/is their salary? 
    • Are there opportunities to build my awareness around this career?  Can I intern or shadow someone from this industry?

College Application Week : Week of Oct 9

This week's emphasis is on College Application Week. The state of Michigan's list of 50 hot jobs indicates that 74% necessitate a four-year degree. As a result, we highly recommend Wayne-Westland seniors submit college applications for four-year and community colleges. Studies demonstrate that those who finish their four-year degrees typically earn an additional 1.35 million dollars throughout their lifetime.

Please take a look at the valuable information below concerning the State of Michigan Fee Waivers and Pathful Connect learning opportunities. These resources can significantly enhance college and career readiness.

Pathful Connect

Pathful is a tremendous resource for our K-8 teachers.  You can request live sessions with industry professions or view a recorded session from their vast library.  If you can think it up, Pathful can find it!  They also offer virtual field trips.

For anyone needing training using Pathful, they can access two brief courses here:  https://learningcenter.pathful.com/courses

If you haven't played around with Pathful yet, I would encourage you to explore. All K-8 teachers should have an account and can log in here. 

If you have any trouble, please let me know.  You should see "Platinum Plan" in the upper right corner.  If yours says "Bronze" let me know.

Upcoming Pathful Connect Sessions

When You Grow Up...Be a Nurse!

Schedule:10/10/2023, 12:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time : Duration:20 minutes
Audience: Elementary
REGISTER HERE

Description

Join this interactive and inspiring session as I discuss my career as a nurse. During this engaging presentation using visuals and questions, you will have the opportunity to get insight into what a career as a nurse is like, learn about education requirements, and gain invaluable advice for finding success and more!

Expected Outcomes

By utilizing the provided documents and participating in this session, you will learn a basic overview of my career and will be equipped with the insight of knowing if this career path might be a fit for your future goals.

Bonding: Building Your Social Capital

Schedule:10/09/2023, 01:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time- Duration:45 minutes
Audience: Middle School
REGISTER HERE

Description

From friends, teachers, mentors, and coaches, you probably already have individuals around you who can help partner with you in your success.  Come and learn how to tap into the relationships you have and nurture them to create strong bonds. Let’s build your Dream Team of success!

Expected Outcomes

• Students will be able to identify members of their own Dream Team.
• Students will understand what is necessary to nurture and strengthen these relationships.
• Students will understand how individuals in their close circle of influence can be assets to their growth and success. 

Military Week : Week of Oct 16

There's a common misconception that military training only equips individuals with combat skills, leaving them ill-prepared for civilian jobs. However, this is not entirely true. While the military does train soldiers to defend the country, it also prepares them for a diverse range of professions. For instance, the military offers a variety of jobs, such as chef, lawyer, psychologist, engineer, or teacher, just to name a few. Military service is an excellent opportunity to gain experience, explore various careers, and enjoy many benefits. In fact, without military service, many individuals would not have the chance to get a college degree, home, or life insurance. We encourage our Wayne-Westland students to consider military service as a viable career option worthy of exploration.

During the military week, take time to explore the military as a serious career option.

Some of the benefits of pursuing the military include:

• Enlistment Bonuses
• Low or no-cost healthcare
• Retirement and pension plans

Serve and defend your country

US Armed Forces

• U.S. Air Force www.airforce.com
• U.S. Army www.goarmy.com
• U.S. Space Force www.spaceforce.mil
• U.S. Coast Guard www.uscg.mil
• U.S. Navy www.navy.com
• U.S. National Guard www.nationalguard.mil
• U.S. Marines www.marines.com

Careers in the Military

Target: Grades K-5

Video - Careers in the Military

Description:

Let's explore what it's like to have a job in the military! Join Emma Toops, a retired Army Major, as she shares about the multitude of career opportunities available in the military, the steps to pursue them, and addresses common misconceptions students might have about careers in the military.

Key Questions:

• What kinds of jobs are there in the military?
• Do I have to go to college to be in the military?
• What is the training like to be in the military?
• What are the best parts and challenging parts of being in the military?
• What are some misconceptions about being in the military?
• What steps should students take now if they want to be in the military?

The Three E's: Enlistment - Careers in the Military

Target: Middle School

Video : Three E's Initiative - Employed, Enlisted, Enrolled

Description

Stride Schools have a "Three E's" Initiative - Employed, Enlisted, Enrolled. The goal is for students to understand each option so that they can choose which option(s) are the best fit for them.

This is the second session in the series and the focus will be Enlistment. The presentation will provide an overview of the military branches (Army, Navy, etc.) and the opportunities available to students in the branches.

Key Questions

• What are the different branches of the military?
• What are the different types of jobs available in the military?
• What is the process to enlist in the military?
• What are the requirements to serve in the military?
• What are the benefits of military service?