Pathfinder Tech
Professional Skills
SKILLS ACQUIRED AT EACH GRADE LEVEL
Grade 9
- Freshmen HS Jump-Start & Transitions: Study Skills, Time Management, Introduction to Goal-Setting
- Career Exploration Introduction: Career Interest, Career Cruising, Self Reflections, Holland Codes
- Employability Skills: Soft Skills & Skills Inventories
- Intro to Professional Communication: Active Listening
- Goal Setting: GRIT/Growth Mindset/SMART Goal Construction
- Social Media and The Workplace
- Workplace Ethics: Discrimination/Laws
- Career Exploration Study: 21 Century Skills/Career Planning/Job Search
- Interview Prep
- Intro to Resume Writing/Cover Letters/Technology
- Professional Portfolio: Completion of Living Documents
Grade 10
- Entrepreneurship
- Intro to OSHA & OSHA Testing: Origins and the Triangle Fire
- Starting & Managing a Business
- Money Management Concepts & Personal Banking
- Labor Market Career Planning
- Marketing/Branding a Business
- Legal, Ethical & Social Responsibilities
- Professional Communication: Informational Interviewing and Public Speaking
- Importance of Updating Your Resume
- Importance of a Digital Footprint Resume/Cover Letter
- Transitioning to Employment: Application/Mock Interview
- Professional Portfolio: Completion of Living Documents
Professional Skills
In Professional Skills, we strive for all students to be able to flourish as professionals in the near future. Career readiness and mastery of employability skills have become an increasingly critical part of a well-rounded educational experience. To that end, students will complete units of study exploring these skills and others in the areas of communication, teamwork, adaptability, problem-solving, creativity, work ethics, interpersonal skills, attention to details, time management and leadership to help students become more successful within their academic areas, technical programs and life. The goal of the new professional skills module is to provide students with an engaging and relevant curriculum that will grant them access to the skills required and most desired by employers and those in higher education.
Through this two-year progression, students will be exposed to Career Development Education Guidelines in accordance with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s Vocational Technical Education Frameworks with the following strands: Strand 4: Employability & Career Readiness Knowledge & Skills
Strand 5: Management & Entrepreneurship Knowledge & Skills
Strand 6: Technical Knowledge and Skills
PROFESSIONAL SKILLS COURSES GIVE OUR STUDENTS AN ADVANTAGE REGARDLESS OF THEIR TECHNICAL PROGRAM OR POST-SECONDARY PLANS:
Career readiness and mastery of employability skills have become an increasingly critical part of that educational experience. Employers are desperately seeking people with a combination of skills that seem to fall under this career readiness and employability umbrella that also includes things such as soft skills. The goal of the new professional skills module is to provide students with ENGAGING and RELEVANT curriculum that will grant them access to the skills required and most desired by employers and those in higher education.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDUSTRY RECOGNIZED CREDENTIALS
● 180 Vocational Hours upon successful completion after two years
● OSHA 10-Hour Certification
NOTEWORTHY PROJECTS
- Quality, completion and attainment of student work-products and the completion of a Professional Portfolio will ensure that students have attained the employability skills needed to achieve mastery of career readiness. This portfolio will demonstrate the students mastery of Strands #4, 5 & 6 in the Vocational Frameworks and cover the areas of Employability & Career Readiness, Management & Entrepreneurship and Technical Knowledge & Skills.
- Professional Portfolio
– Resume
– Cover Letter/Follow-up
– Reference Sheet
– Resignation Letter
– Interview Preparation
– Skill & Ability Inventory
– Samples of Professional Work-Product
Professional Skills is a mandatory course for all 9th and 10th grade students and they must successfully pass each year to move to the next grade level. Students receive credits towards graduation and upon successful completion they also receive 90 vocational hours each year towards their vocational area.
THIS PROGRAM RELIES HEAVILY ON THE FOLLOWING TECHNICAL STANDARDS and/or COMPETENCIES
● Strand 4: Employability and Career Readiness
4A – Career Exploration and Navigation
Develop a career plan and portfolio
Demonstrate job search skills
Demonstrate all phases of the job interview process
Business in a Global Economy
4B – Communication in the Workplace
Demonstrate appropriate oral and written communication skills in the workplace Demonstrate active listening skills
4C – Work Ethic and Professionalism
Demonstrate attendance and punctuality
Demonstrate proper workplace appearance
Accepts direction and constructive criticism
Demonstrate motivation and initiative
Demonstrate awareness of workplace culture and policy
Interact appropriately with coworkers
● Strand 5: Management and Entrepreneurship Knowledge and Skills
5A – Starting a Business
Demonstrates an understanding of the practices required to start a business
5B – Managing a Business
Demonstrates an understanding of managing a business
5C – Marketing a Business
Demonstrate an understanding of marketing and promoting a business
5D – Financial Concepts and Applications in Business
Demonstrate an understanding of financial concepts and applications
5E – Legal/Ethical/Social Responsibilities
Demonstrates an understanding of legal, ethical, and social responsibility for businesses
● Strand 6: Technology Literacy Knowledge and Skills
6A – Demonstrates proficiency in the use of computers and applications, as well as understanding of the concepts underlying hardware, software and connectivity Demonstrates the responsible use of technology and an understanding of ethics and safety issues in using electronic media at home, in school and in society
Design and implement a personal learning plan that includes the use of technology to support lifelong learning goals
Demonstrate the ability to use technology for research, critical thinking, problem-solving, decision making, communication, collaboration, creativity and innovation
