Career Exploration for Students – Elementary School
Source: Adapted from National Career Development Association
· Pay attention to the activities your child likes, books read, shows watched, or how he or she spends free time. Talk about related careers.
· When your child says, “I want to be a _____when I grow up”, ask them to describe that career. Help them to think of related careers.
· Use clip art to create career coloring pages for your child.
· Ask your child to define success. Ask what are ways to be successful.
· Purchase coloring books that highlight career areas.
· Starts a discussion with the statement: “What’s more valuable – time or money?”
· Discuss what activities your child likes or dislikes and why.
· Talk about your job(s).
· Talk about the jobs of relatives and family friends.
· Create a family career tree together.
· Have your child compare skill learned to chores done at home. How do they relate? How are they different?
· While paying bills, explain the jobs/services associated with various companies.
· Explain budgeting, and help your child create a budget.
· Create a daily activities time chart. How does that compare to a work day?
· As you watch TV with your child discuss the jobs/careers the characters have.
· Take your child to your work site.
· Research careers together on the internet.
· Visit college campuses on family vacations.
· Take field trips to companies or organizations that promote tours of their facilities.
· Encourage your child to create career posters or poems to enter into the NCDA Poster and Poem Contest. See www.ncda.org.