Connecting The Future Dots
Researchers and business leaders are increasingly concerned that the next generation of workers won’t be ready to fill new jobs across the country. The evolving global economy and advancements in technology are creating major changes in workforce demand that leaders caution will create a skills gap that could leave millions of jobs unfilled.
The World of Work supports a personalized learning approach by connecting student interests into a complete package of career learning to gain exposure to careers. The World of Work supports teachers as they work to create context and relevance for students to connect what they are learning in school. The career development framework deploys a four level process to expose students from all grade levels to a broad range of careers. The four levels, Exploration, Simulation, Meet A Pro, and Practice, all work together to help students skills and knowledge needed to prepare to make future educational choices and career decisions.
WoW Uses RIASEC Framework
The World of Work Initiative uses the RIASEC framework to support students as they explore their interests and workplace values. The RIASEC is the most researched of all vocational typologies, has decades of research and use by career counselors, coaches, teachers and advisors, to assist people as they work to identifying educational and career paths.
RIASEC stands for the 6 different work-related personality types created by Dr. John Holland: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising and Conventional.
“Every child has unique strengths, interests and values that are needed in the world. How does a child aspire to a career they don’t know exists? We had a plenty of “What” to do in education and now the World of Work provides the “Why”. We are providing students context when we expose them to the World of Work, every grade, every year.”
1. Exploration
During the Exploration level of the World of Work, students learn about a new job or industry. Through physical and digital resources to learn about that job or industry, students are able to explore the details of a career they may have never thought of or known about before.
2. Simulation
In the Simulation level, students get hands-on experience engaging in activities related to the job or industry they learned about during level one, building upon the knowledge gained previously to obtain skills and values necessary to be successful in the field.
3. Meet A Pro
During the exciting Meet A Pro level, students and teachers join in on Meet A Pro chats, which are virtual tours or field trips where multiple classrooms can experience meeting an industry professional. During these live chats, a pro can give students real life context and application for what they are learning.
4. Practice
Once students reach level 4, they are ready to practice the career they have been learning about. Students use the connections they made to their own world through levels 1-3 to practice what they have learned through their play, school projects, homework, time with friends and family, volunteer work, and much more!