Grade 8

Career Awareness and Preparation

  • A.

    Relate careers to individual interests, abilities, and aptitudes.13.1.8.A

  • B.

    Relate careers to personal interests, abilities and aptitudes.13.1.8.B

  • C.

    Explain how both traditional and nontraditional careers offer or hinder career opportunities.13.1.8.C

  • D.

    Explain the relationship of career training programs to employment opportunities.13.1.8.D

  • E.

    Analyze the economic factors that impact employment opportunities, such as, but not limited to:<ul><li>Competition</li><li>Geographic location</li><li>Global influences</li><li>Job growth</li><li>Job openings</li><li>Labor supply</li><li>Potential advancement</li><li>Potential earnings</li><li>Salaries/benefits</li><li>Unemployment</li></ul>13.1.8.E

  • F.

    Analyze the relationship of school subjects, extracurricular activities, and community experiences to career preparation.13.1.8.F

  • G.

    Create an individualized career plan including, such as, but not limited to:<ul><li>Assessment and continued development of career portfolio</li><li>Career goals</li><li>Cluster/pathway</li><li>opportunities</li><li>Individual interests and abilities</li><li>Training/education requirements and financing</li></ul>13.1.8.G

  • H.

    Choose personal electives and extra curricular activities based upon personal career interests, abilities and academic strengths.13.1.8.H

Career Acquisition (Getting a Job)

  • A.

    Identify effective speaking and listening skills used in a job interview.13.2.8.A

  • B.

    Evaluate resources available in researching job opportunities, such as, but not limited to:<ul><li>CareerLinks</li><li>Internet (i.e. O*NET)</li><li>Networking</li><li>Newspapers</li><li>Professional associations</li><li>Resource books (that is Occupational Outlook Handbook, PA Career Guide)</li></ul>13.2.8.B

  • C.

    Prepare a draft of career acquisition documents, such as, but not limited to:<ul><li>Job application</li><li>Letter of appreciation following an interview</li><li>Letter of introduction</li><li>Request for letter of recommendation</li><li>Resume</li></ul>13.2.8.C

  • D.

    Develop an individualized career portfolio including components, such as, but not limited to:<ul><li>Achievements</li><li>Awards/recognitions</li><li>Career exploration results</li><li>Career plans</li><li>Community service involvement/projects</li><li>Interests/hobbies</li><li>Personal career goals</li><li>Selected school work</li><li>Self inventories</li></ul>13.2.8.D

  • E.

    Explain, in the career acquisition process, the importance of the essential workplace skills/knowledge, such as, but not limited to:<ul><li>Commitment</li><li>Communication</li><li>Dependability</li><li>Health/safety</li><li>Laws and regulations (that is Americans With Disabilities Act, child labor laws, Fair Labor Standards Act, OSHA, Material Safety Data Sheets)</li><li>Personal initiative</li><li>Self-advocacy</li><li> Scheduling/time management</li><li>Team building</li><li>Technical literacy</li><li>Technology</li></ul>13.2.8.E

Career Retention and Advancement

  • A.

    Determine attitudes and work habits that support career retention and advancement.13.3.8.A

  • B.

    Analyze the role of each participant's contribution in a team setting.13.3.8.B

  • C.

    Explain and demonstrate conflict resolution skills:<ul><li>Constructive criticism</li><li>Group dynamics</li><li>Managing/leadership</li><li>Mediation</li><li>Negotiation</li><li>Problem solving</li></ul>13.3.8.C

  • D.

    Analyze budgets and pay statements, such as, but not limited to:<ul><li>Charitable contributions</li><li>Expenses</li><li>Gross pay</li><li>Net pay</li><li>Other income</li><li>Savings</li><li>Taxes</li></ul>13.3.8.D

  • E.

    Identify and apply time management strategies as they relate to both personal and work situations.13.3.8.E

  • F.

    Identify characteristics of the changing workplace including Americans With Disabilities Act accommodations, and explain their impact on jobs and employment.13.3.8.F

  • G.

    Identify formal and informal lifelong learning opportunities that support career retention and advancement.13.3.8.G

Entrepreneurship

  • A.

    Compare and contrast entrepreneurship to traditional employment, such as, but not limited to:<ul><li>Benefits</li><li>Job security</li><li>Operating costs</li><li>Wages</li></ul>13.4.8.A

  • B.

    Evaluate how entrepreneurial character traits influence career opportunities.13.4.8.B

  • C.

    Identify and describe the basic components of a business plan, such as, but not limited to:<ul><li>Business idea</li><li>Competitive analysis</li><li>Daily operations</li><li> Finances/budget</li><li>Marketing</li><li>Productive resources (human, capital, natural)</li><li>Sales forecasting</li></ul>13.4.8.C

Frequently asked questions

What grade levels do these standards cover?
Grade 8
When were these standards adopted?
2006
Where can I read the official document?
Academic Standards for Career Education and Work