The Importance of Work

1. The Importance of Work Why is Work Important to Me?

2. What is Work? • Work – an activity done to produce or accomplish something • People work to gain something • School → do homework, read books, study → pass tests

3. A Job or Career? • Job – work done, usually to earn money • Occupations – employment that requires related skills & experiences • Career – a series of occupations usually in the same or related fields that help you advance in a chosen field of work • Occupations ≠ career

4. Careers require many skills be learned to progress in a chosen area • Advancing will depend on learning more complex information & skills • Direct link between how well you do in school now & your future in the work world • Prospective employers may consider your school records when making hiring decisions

5. Career Ladder Career Ladder for Long-Term Health Care • Shows a sequence of work in a career field, from entry to advance levels • Each rung is another step in the progression of a better job • Reaching final career objective may take many years and require considerable education and training

6. Career Ladder for Interior Design Careers (with education)

7. Importance of Work • People work to gain “something” • “something” could be… • Job satisfaction • Sense of obligation • Commitment to a goal • Most people do it for INCOME

8. Income – money a person receives for doing a job • Needs – basics you MUST have in order to live • Wants – items you WOULD LIKE to have but DO NOT need to survive

9. Identity • Influences… • Identity – ALL of traits that distinguish you as an individual • How you see yourself • When you describe yourself, you are talking about your identity • Important to choose work that will allow you to respect yourself & develop a positive identity

10. Lifestyle • Influences • Lifestyle – a person’s typical way of life • The work you choose will affect… • Where you live • The people you meet • Time with family & friends • The amount of money you make will determine how expensive your lifestyle will be • NEVER spend more than you can afford

11. Importance of Work • Keeps the Economy Strong • Economy – the way goods and services are produced, distributed, and consumed in a society • Income you earn from working goes back into the economy when you buy something

12. Importance of Work • Provides... • Satisfaction • Doing a job well helps build your self esteem • Self esteem – confidence a person has in himself or herself • Sense of Accomplishment • Feeling Useful * Many people judge their success in terms of satisfaction rather than income

13. Importance of Work • Requires Knowledge & Skills • Before being hired, the employer will ask “ What can you do?” • Your answer must say all that you can bring to the workplace such as… • Special skills you have • Your educational background • Previous work experience

14. Linking School to Work Six Career Fields

15. 16 Career Clusters Louisiana Career Model

16. A key step in studying careers is recognizing your interests, talents, and abilities

17. Career Pathways • Each cluster includes several career directions called Career Pathway • Each pathway contains several occupations or specialties ranging from entry level to very challenging • All career choices within certain pathway require a set of common knowledge & skills

18. Foundation Skills • Academic skills – allow you to express your thoughts & communicate with coworkers Reading, writing, speaking, listening, math, science and basic computers • Thinking skills – allow you to develop ideas AND solve problems Thinking creatively, visualizing ideas, making decisions, thinking critically • Personal qualities – shape the way you work & the kind of worker you are Positive attitude, self-esteem, sociability, flexibility, integrity, responsibility, leadership, & team focus

19. Transferable Skills Transferable skills- Skills in one career that can be used in another. Few jobs last forever but allow you to build skills that you can carry with you. Usually academic skills & thinking skills are transferable

20. SUMMARY In your lifetime, you will have many different jobs. A jobmay or may not be related to your career. A career requires that you learn more difficult jobs related to a chosen field. A career can be compared to a ladder. Each step is a progression toward a career objective. Work is important for several reasons. It allows you to earn an income so you can buy things you need and want. It influences how you see yourself and how others see you. Workalso affects where you live, when you work, what you do, and whom you meet. Work provides a sense of purpose and direction for life. One of the most important reasons for working is to gain satisfaction. Satisfaction from work comes in many different forms. The work satisfaction you seek may be different from the satisfaction others seek. .

21. Economy Work is needed to keep the country’s economy strong. Every person who earns money and spends it, plays a role in keeping the economy healthy. Workers who do their best on the job help make their employers successful. This makes the economy stronger. Successful workers have the knowledge and skills their careers demand. They study career options and follow programs of study that match their choices. They develop the academic and thinking skills and personal qualities that employers seek. They link the demands of their future career to their schoolwork, extracurricular activities, and community involvement