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It's A Big World Out There - Curriculum

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Curriculum




Goals for the workshop

  • Parents/caring adults will better understand the factors and trends that affect young people's career choices.
  • Parents/caring adults will realize how much influence they have on young people's career plans.
  • Parents/caring adults will understand that there are a variety of career preparation options. (Tech schools, colleges, four or two year degrees, certificates, etc.)
  • Parents/caring adults will have strategies or ideas to help young people prepare for their career preparation options and careers.
  • Parents/caring adults will better understand career options available in North Dakota and the surrounding area.

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Preparing for the Workshop (PDF version - 101KB)

Planning the workshop

It's a Big World Out There curriculum is designed as a workshop to introduce parents/ guardians/ caring adults on ways to help young people prepare for the future.

This curriculum has been developed to give a brief overview of the following topics.

  1. Today's Youth and Tomorrow's Careers
  2. Selecting a Career
  3. Choosing a Career Preparation Strategy
  4. Steps or Strategies for Parents/Caring Adults

Ask some questions and consider several options when planning to present a program:

  • How much time will participants spend in the workshop?
  • What topics will the workshop focus on?
  • What type of facility will it be held in?
  • Will there be access to equipment such as VCRs, overheads, etc.?
  • Can students attend with parents/caring adults?
  • What kind of format will work?
  • What resources need to be ordered?



Anticipate the needs and interests of your audience

Tailor the parents/caring adults program to meet local needs and the interests of the participants. Some parents/caring adults expect young people to attend a four-year college, while others wonder if their young person will finish high school. When presenting the workshop, attempt to include local examples, current events happening in the area, etc. Ask representatives from local colleges or tech schools to talk about programs that are available. Others may discuss new initiatives such as school-to-work programs, apprenticeships, or current local career needs. Select topics and information that best meet the needs of the participants.

The program outlined in this curriculum will take at least two and a half hours to present. If you do not have that much time, a few options include:

After completing this curriculum, caring adults may want to plan additional follow-up sessions. Luther B. Otto's curriculum Parents, Youth, Careers and Helping Your Child Choose a Career, available through local offices of the NDSU Extension Service, is a useful resource and would be easy to adapt to any of the following formats:

  • One day workshop (six to eight hours)
  • Six or eight one-hour sessions (evening/lunch hour)
  • Three two-hour sessions (once a week)
  • Two three-hour sessions
  • Once a month (Sept., Oct., Nov., Jan., Feb., March)

Think about other places, organizations and groups where parents/caring adults might be reached:

  • School or PTA group
  • Service club meetings
  • 4-H Council meetings
  • Employee lunch groups
  • Church youth groups
  • Campfire programs
  • Scouting programs
  • YMCA/YWCA
  • Community centers
  • Job service



Workshop Checklist

Prior to the workshop

  • Select date, time, and location (school career centers may be an ideal location) and set a pre-registration date.
  • Publicize the workshop in a variety of ways (flyers, articles in newsletters, news releases, posters, parent-teacher conferences, etc.).
  • Target parents/caring adults to participate in the program. (Remember church groups, 4-H, PTA, and other youth-serving organizations besides school promotions.)
  • Gather a variety of career development information.
  • Helping Your Child Choose a Career as listed in the credits of this curriculum.
  • Presenters' Packet (an extensive packet of information on presenting information on youth's career selection) may be borrowed through your county extension office.
  • Local Job Service
  • State Occupational Information Coordinating Committee
  • Copies of the Otto book listed above and an extensive presenter's package may be purchased by using the Career Development Order form. Each participant could benefit from having a copy of the book. The cost of the book may be covered though a local sponsor or be included in the registration fees.
  • Occupational Outlook Handbook/College Handbook is available at local libraries, bookstores or school career centers.
  • Clip articles from local and area newspapers to localize career selection information.
  • Prepare a display about careers.
  • Prepare parents/caring adults career folders, activities and name tags needed for the workshop.
  • Photocopy handouts from the masters before each session.
  • Prepare overhead transparencies. If you can't use overheads in your workshop, consider making copies of them to use as handouts.
  • Assemble materials for participants to pick up as they arrive at each session.
  • Secure equipment and supplies for the presentation.
  • Obtain It's a Big World, CTV overview video (NDSU Agriculture Communication Department) or contact individuals for a panel discussion.
  • Monitor registrations and make phone calls to encourage people to participate.
  • Arrange for refreshments (if appropriate) (may have to obtain a sponsor/include in registration fees).
  • Prepare welcome signs and meeting direction signs.
  • Send a reminder a few days before the workshop with a date, location, where to park, etc.
  • Arrive early to set-up room (arrange chairs around tables rather than rows when possible), materials and equipment.
  • Set up television, VCR overhead projector and screen. Test equipment to see that it is operating.



During the workshop

  • Survey participants to find out what additional information is needed or if they want to have follow-up sessions.



Following the workshop

  • Send thank-you's to speakers.
  • Record number of participants and tabulate responses to evaluations.
  • Complete the Presenter's Evaluation (handout #10.)
  • Complete the Resource Evaluation (handout #11.) (This form is to be given to anyone who checks out the curriculum from the county office.)
  • Return equipment and supplies, etc.
  • Set new dates for the follow-up sessions.




Promoting career education to parents/caring adults

Materials to use in promoting the workshop

  • Promotion Letter (promotion #3), a letter announcing the workshop and inviting parents/caring adults to participate.
  • Press Release (promotion #4), a simple press release advertising the workshop.
  • Clip art (promotion #5), It’s A Big World Out There logos to use for promotion, newsletters, etc.
  • Registration Acknowledgment Letter (promotion #6), a letter acknowledging registration and reminding participants of time, place, etc.



Ideas for promotion of career education

  1. Develop a career display and use it at back-to-school nights, parent-teacher conferences, county fairs, PTA programs, community fairs/programs or parent career nights.
  2. Write a newsletter for parents/caring adults with updates on career information or write articles for the school newsletter or include information in a school mailing.
  3. Hold a Super Saturday occupation tour or night tour of occupations.
  4. Produce audio tapes so parents/caring adults who travel can listen to career information.
  5. Conduct brief 30-45 minute sessions during parent\caring adult lunch hours.
  6. Develop a weekly column for a newspaper, prepare one page flyers with bullet points on career selection to place in restaurants (Tidbits) or make table tents for local restaurants.
  7. Create a Web page or put information on the Internet. Conduct monthly discussion groups on the computer.
  8. Write articles for local magazines (Family Magazine and Women magazines in the F/M area).
  9. Write professional profiles that include a photo of person and article about his/her career for newspapers once a week or produce a once a week clip for use by a television station.
  10. Arrange for a local access channel to run half-hour segments about different courses.
  11. Show the other CTV video tapes in the series that go into more depth about the different career areas. These videos are available through the county office of the NDSU Extension Service. Place copies of the tapes in local libraries or video stores on a check-out basis to clientele.
  12. Hold seminars during career fairs for parents/caring adults.
  13. Place a self-study package in the local library.
  14. Use a brochure to inform parents/caring adults about existing resources including career bank, computer programs, materials at job service, workshops, etc. available in the community.



Order Form – for materials developed by Luther Otto

(for printable order form: Order Form) 

To:   Career Development          Tax Identification No: 508466382
      2408 Eddystone Road
      Raleigh, NC 27612
      (919) 782-8137

From: Name _______________________________________________________
      Organization _______________________________________________
      Address ____________________________________________________
      City, State, Zip Code ______________________________________
      Phone (_____) ______________________________________________
      Seminar starting date ______________________________________


Quantity   Description                      Unit Price    Total
------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                      
 ______    Parents, Youth and Careers         $15.00    _________
           packet - One set per family.                       
           (Includes book, seminar folder,                       
           associated materials)                                 
                                                                 
 ______    Presenter’s packet                 $49.95    _________
           Needed only for collaborating                         
           presenters. (Complete set of                          
           presenter’s materials including                       
           book, Presenter’s Guide, masters                      
           for overheads and handouts, and                       
           associated materials)                                 
                                                                 
   North Carolina residents add 6% sales tax                     
                   or                                            
   State tax exempt number: #__________________         _________
                                                                 
 ______    Shipping charges         Quantity x $1.00 =  _________
           ($1.00 per packet)                        
                                               Total    _________

------------------------------------------------------------------

Purchase order # _______________________
    or
Make check payable to Career Development


This workshop may be taught without these materials.

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How to use this curriculum (PDF version - 75KB)

This curriculum was developed to include most of the materials you will need to present It's a Big World Out There Workshop. The instructions for each part are meant to reduce your preparation time and make things easier for you as a presenter. Feel free to make changes. The program needs to be flexible to meet local needs.



Tips when presenting the curriculum:

  • Be prepared
  • Be enthusiastic
  • Keep sessions relaxed and open
  • Involve the participants in the program

Symbols are used throughout the curriculum to help the presenter. Each symbol is shown below:

Overhead symbol an overhead master is included for use
What to Say symbol what to say to participants and discussion involvement
Activity symbol an activity for participants to do
Handout symbol a handout is included for use




Other pointers about this curriculum

  1. Throughout the curriculum reference is made to Helping Your Child Choose a Career, Luther Otto. The references are listed as (Otto, p(page) 1-3)
  2. Each part of the curriculum includes:
  • list of equipment and supplies
  • materials to prepare (such as handouts, overhead transparencies and items for activities)
  • before participants arrive (set up)
  1. The last section of the curriculum includes masters for overhead transparencies, handouts, activities, promotion and signs.
  2. It's a Big World CTV Overview video tape has two segments for use in presenting the program.
  • Segment 1 includes a career overview to be played as a background while participants register for the workshop. After ten minutes Segment 2 will begin.
  • Segment 2 provides a brief overview of six major career areas that are some of the fastest growing in this region.

    CTV videos are available or being developed in more detail in each of the areas discussed in the overview video. These videos are available through county offices of the NDSU Extension Service.
  1. A complete page listing of where to find overhead transparencies, handouts, activities, promotion and signs is included in the materials to be prepared section of each part of the workshop curriculum. Page numbers are not included when referring to these teaching helps within each part of the curriculum.

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