Career Day Project

Purpose and process

The Career Day Project is intended to broaden the students' knowledge of different career opportunities and vocational pathways by putting them in touch with a range of different professionals and providing opportunities for reflection and questioning. In this way, it is intended to enable them to eventually make better and more prepared career choices.

During the school year, a number of key activities take place:

• Enrolment - 9th grade students wanting to participate in the project have to identify: a) 2 jobs they would like to see featured in the Career Day; b) which work group they would like to belong to (promotion, event planning or hosting)
• Research - students investigate the professional sectors to be featured in the event; results are sent to the coordinating teacher; teachers and students also identify jobs and/or speakers of interest among the local community, including parents
• Analysis - they consider materials and feedback provided by participants in previous years
• Promotion - students work to create promotional materials, e.g. for dissemination on the school's website, posters, agenda, invitations; they also run other activities promoting Career Day
• Production - they produce informational texts and other materials for distribution during the Day
• Invitation - the coordinating teacher organises meetings with the students to gather their ideas and suggestions; external partners are invited to participate as speakers
• Training - students are trained to be hosts on the Day
• Career Day - 2 sessions are run during the event: a) Careers focusing on - Social Sciences and Humanities, Socio-Economic Sciences and Arts; b) Careers focusing on - Science and Technology
• Post-event evaluation - all stakeholders are invited to provide feedback.

Students also participate in the Junior Achievement Portugal programme, Economics for Success.

Learning outcomes

Through participation, students will be able to:

• Understand how to evaluate their personal skills, interests and values​​
• Understand more about the economic benefits of education
• Explore a range of career options and gain a deeper knowledge of the working world
• Develop job search techniques and confidence.

Curricular or thematic relevance

This approach is designed as a Careers programme linked to enterepreneurship education appropriate for students in the 9th grade. These young people are at a time of transition from elementary to high school; they are also faced with having to choose an area of study that will lead to university or directly to the working world.

How to organise:

The preparation stages of this project take place during extra-curricular time and the students' own time; the Career Day itself is held as a suspended timetable event and includes time for the post-event evaluation to take place.

Assessment and evaluation approaches

Speakers and students participating in the Seminar are invited to completion a satisfaction survey. After the end of the project, the coordinating teacher completes an evaluation form describing:

• developed activities
• audience make-up
• number of participating students
• main achievements
• resources involved (human and capital)
• amount of time spent
• areas identified for improvement
• summary of feedback from speakers and students.

Curricular or thematic relevance (NOT TO BE USED)

it intends to help students develop better career, education choices. reforça o trabalho da psicóloga

Volunteer involvement

Volunteer involvement is crucial. The Career Day depends solely on volunteer speakers who are willing to share their career pathways and work-related experiences with the students.

Additional comments

As this is a substantial project which takes place over much of the school year, it might be advisable to ensure that parents are aware of it and willing to support it.

Provider country

Portugal

Files for download:

PromotionPoster.pdf / 96kB
StudentsEnrolment_form.pdf / 288kB
Certificate.pdf / 107kB

Provider Institution: