IT Career Readiness Plan

Lesson Content

• Lesson Plan Template:

  CTE Lesson Plan

• CTE Course Info and Benchmark Notes

  
  

  Course Title:

  Digital Information Technology

  Course Number:

  8207310

• Unit Outline

  
  

  This lesson has students do research into potential desired IT careers, the specific skills needed for these careers, and how these skills might be acquired. This can also lead to lessons about writing cover letters and resumes, filling out job applications, and preparing for and successfully performing interviews for an IT position.

• Career Connection

  
  

  This lesson supports students in developing/practicing career-building skills for creating a plan to acquire the experience and qualifications needed for a potential IT career.

• Learning Objectives

  
  

  Students will be able to:

  • Analyze the various skills and education requirements for IT occupations.
  • Create a career readiness plan for a desired IT career.
  • Research careers using reputable websites.

• Prior Knowledge

  
  

  Students should be familiar with/able to:

  • Students should have some knowledge of hard and soft skills. See the Hard and Soft Skills CTE lesson (CPALMS resource ID# 210767) that can be used before this one.

• Guiding Questions

  
  
  • What skills, experience, and qualifications are required for various IT jobs?
  • How can I acquire the skills, experience, and qualifications needed for the IT job that interests me most?

• Procedure

  
  
  1. To introduce the lesson,
     • Ask the students to define Information Technology. List traits on the board as they share.
     • Emphasize that Information Technology is the use of systems such as computers and telecommunication devices to store, send, and retrieve information.
  2. Ask the students to brainstorm IT careers. List them on the board as they share.
     • Some example responses include hardware/software developer or programmer, web developer, systems analyst, network engineer, computer repair, technical support, security specialist, database administrator, artificial intelligence, data science, etc…
  3. Ask the students which required skills these careers might have in common and discuss.
     • Some example responses include technical skills, communication, organization, analytical/problem-solving skills, creativity, etc…
  4. Ask the students which required skills might be different for each of these careers.
     
     • Some example responses include familiarity with specific hardware/software, knowledge of different networks or systems, familiarity with regulations and standards, etc…
  5. Explain to the students that they will be using a guiding worksheet to conduct research about different computer and IT careers and make a career readiness plan.
     • Students will use the provided websites and any other reputable websites they find to list 10 computer and IT careers, their average salary, required education, and projected job growth.
     • Students will then choose one of those careers to make a career readiness plan for.
     • The following resources from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics can be used as a starting point:
       • Occupational Outlook Handbook - Computer and Information Technology: Occupations - https://www.bls.gov/ooh/computer-and-information-technology/home.htm
       • Occupational Outlook Handbook - Computer and Information Technology: Field of Degree - https://www.bls.gov/ooh/field-of-degree/computer-and-information/computer-and-information-technology-field-of-degree.htm
       • "Careers in the growing field of information technology services" - https://www.bls.gov/opub/btn/volume-2/pdf/careers-in-growing-field-of-information-technology-services.pdf
       • Career Outlook: Technology - https://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/subject/technology.htm
  6. Explain that for the career readiness plan, they will research the degree and/or certification as well as any internship requirements for their chosen career and list reputable schools they can acquire these from.
     • They will also research hard and soft skills and the type of work experience that is typically desired for this career.
     • Students will make a plan as to how they can acquire these skills, taking into consideration if there are courses they can take while they are in middle/high school that will help and/or ways they can gain experience through volunteering, OJT, etc.
  7. Pass out the Guiding Worksheet and Career Readiness Plan sheet and allow students time to do their research.
  8. When students have completed the worksheets, allow them to share their plans and give each other feedback.
  9. To bring the lesson to a close,
     • Have students complete an exit ticket on why it’s important to have a career readiness plan.

• Teacher Notes

  
  

  This lesson can be used after the Hard and Soft Skills lesson (CPALMS resource ID# 210767) to ensure students have the necessary prior knowledge.

• Optional

  
  

  Formative Assessment: The Guiding Worksheet and Career Readiness Plan can be used as formative assessments to monitor student progress toward the learning goals.