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Exploring Career Opportunities

Exploring Career Possibilities

scientist with chemicals

Purpose

Learn about possible careers that will provide fulfilling work and allow you to care for yourself and your future family.

Description

Take a career survey to learn about activities you enjoy, your personal qualities, and your educational interests. (You can find surveys online or at a local Church employment resource center.) After the survey, ask participants what interests and talents they have and what kind of jobs they may want. For example:

  • Working with people (teaching, coaching, providing child care, providing health care, and so on)

  • Working with data (computer programming, data entry, organizing records, filing, handling credit or loan applications, and so on)

  • Working with animals and things (gardening, farming, cooking, flower arranging, house cleaning, automobile maintenance, and so on)

More Ideas

  • Career vision—Using pictures from magazines or coloring books, create a collage or poster of your desired future career.

  • Job matching game —Make a list of unusual job titles and another list of their definitions. Challenge the group to match each job title with its definition. Some you might use are:

    • Tower technician—Maintains and installs cables, antennas, radios, and broadcast equipment.

    • Ergonomist—Studies workplace environments and equipment to make sure people can do their jobs as safely and efficiently as possible.

    • Homeopath—Uses natural remedies to help people regain health.

    • Arborist—Studies and cares for trees.

    • Radiologist—Diagnoses and sometimes treats diseases and injuries with medical imaging.

    • Fragrance chemist—Develops appealing scents for consumer products.

  • Career day—Invite a few working professionals to talk to your group about their jobs.

  • Career fair—Sponsor your own local job fair, or visit another fair in your area to explore career possibilities. Encourage participants to prepare questions before attending the fair.

Discussion

Encourage participants to talk about what they are learning. Discussions can take place before, during, or after the activity. You could ask questions like the following:

  • Why do you think it is important to explore career possibilities?

  • When have you felt the Spirit show you your unique talents and gifts?

  • What feelings or impressions do you have about considering different career possibilities?

  • How can you apply what you are learning in your life?

Related Resources

Sabbath Day Lessons

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