Finance

This week we did facts on two careers in the cluster, Finance. The two careers I did was Credit Checker and Loan Counselors. I'm going to tell you three similarities and three differences between the two careers. One similarity between the two is the education. There is no set education for either one. Also, both their salaries are between $30,000 and $40,000. Another similarity is their Work Values. They both have the value of relationships, achievement, and independence. Now, on to the differences. One big difference is the projected growth between the two careers. Loan Counselors have projected growth of 20% to 28%. Credit Checkers have projected growth of 3% to 9%. Another similarity is their top industry. The top industry of Loan Counselors is Finance and Insurance Wholesale Trade. The top industry of Credit Checkers is Education Services Finance and Insurance. Another big difference are their job descriptions. Loan Counselors provide guidance for people, while Credit Checkers investigate credit history of people and businesses. What I've learned from this cluster is that there are many careers in it that I didn't even know existed. Some of the careers that are in this cluster I don't believe are all that necessary. On top of that, most of the careers don't have a very high education required. Their salaries are average in this cluster. That is my reflection on this cluster.

Government and Public Administration

Yesterday, we did two careers in Government and Public Administration. I'm going to compare the two careers I did, Surveying Technician and Government Property Inspectors and Investigators. One similarity is their education. Neither one of them needed a college degree. Their projected growth is the same which would be 10% to 19%. They have a lot of the same vork styles. They have the three same work values. Those are support, independence, and relationships. They actually have a very similar job because they both inspect gorund and make sure it's in the right hands. They both have the same knowledge, skills, and abilities. They also have some of the same technology and interests. Their need in job training and related experience is the exact same. Over all, these two jobs are very similar. I think someone that was in one of these jobs could easily transfer to the other and still have a good chance in liking it just as much. If they went from a Government Property Inspectors and Investigators to a Surveying Technician, they most likely would not like the pay.

This week in Career Explorations

In my career exploration classes, we do many things. This week, on Monday, we did research on the cluster Education. We did that to learn about two careers we might consider pursuing in. Tuesday we discussed the similarities between the two careers we did in education. The reason I think we did that is because Mr. Boyars wanted to show us how similar two careers could be in one cluster and how different they could be. Wednesday we finished discussing and then we did one career in Agriculture. Again, we did that to learn more about a career we might want to pursue in. Thursday we talked about our colors and the opposite of our primary color. We talked about our weaknesses and strengths. I think we did that to find out what jobs would be good for us and what jobs would be bad for us. Today, we finished up our second Agriculture career and wrote this blog. This week in career exploration, it was very busy and eventful.

Arts, Audio/Video and Communications

Last week we researched two careers in the cluster Arts, Audio/Video and Communications. I chose Singer and Dancer. The first one I'm going to tell you about is Singer. The job description for a Singer is sing songs on stage, radio, television, or motion pictures. The required education for this career is not set. You could have absolutely no education and be a Singer. The pay for a Singer can range from $35,000 to $53,000,000. The projected growth is from %10 to %19. The next career I'm going to tell you about is a Dancer. The job description for a Dancer is perform dances; perform on stages, for on-air broadcasting, or for video recording. Some tasks they have are train and excercise for dances, study and practice dance moves, and audition for dance moves. The pay for Dancers is around $40,000 but can vary depending on how good you are and who you dance for. Those are the two careers I chose out of the cluster, Arts, Audio/Video and Communications.

My first two colors.

Yesterday, we took the True Color test. My main color was an orange. This color is most definitely me. I act on a moment's notice, I don't take very many things seriously, I do everything I can to make things fun, I need fun, excitement, variety, and stimulation, I value skill, resourcefulness, and freedom, and I'm a natural trouble-shooter, a performer, and a competitor. Those are the main traits of an orange and I obtain all of them. I can not focus on one thing very easily, and orange need everything to be hands on, which is definitely what I need. I rarely ever plan ahead. Everything is a spur of the moment kind of deal. It is very hard for me to follow rules and respect authority, which to most people, isn't the greatest trait to have. My second color was green. Green find themselves not able to follow rules and trying to make up their own. They also find themselves wanting some time to think for themselves when they're around their family. Both of those things can defintely relate to an orange. I don't know very many ways these two relate. Green get easily bored if the subject holds no interest, and that definitely relates to how the orange side of me can't focus very easily. They both value intelligence, freedom, resourcefulness, and integrity. Those are some ways my second color relates to my first.

True Colors

We have to take four teachers and four of our friends and put each of them under one of the four personalities; Blue, Orange, Gold, and Green. I'm going to do teachers first. I think Mrs. Howard is an Orange. I say this because she does everything she is absolutely crazy. She is always going from one subject to the next and is really outgoing. She really tries to have fun. Mrs. Dundas is a Green. I say this because he is always trying to be overly logical and realistic. He never lets us just joke around or anything. Mrs. Collier is a Gold. Everything has to be right on time and perfect. She gets really irritated when things are late or if there's even the slightest mistake on something. Mrs. Pittenger is a Blue. She's really sweet and definitely cares about what peoples' feelings are. She doesn't like it when someone is sad or mad. Now I'm going to do my friends. Lydia would be a Gold. She hates getting in trouble, being late, or getting things wrong. She always does assignments and gets them done as fast as possible, but also tries to make it accurate. I will put Clayton as an Orange. He's always doing everything he can to have fun. No matter where we are or what we have he will find a way to have fun. I will put Logan as a Green. He doesn't care about barely anyone's feelings and thinks everything that's said or done has to be realistic. Tatum is a Blue. Tatum hates hurting peoples' feelings and definitely cares about what other people think about her.

Business, Management, and Administration

Yesterday, we were supposed to choose two careers from the cluster, Business, Management, and Administration and fill out a fact sheet on them. I chose an Auditor and a Legal Secretary. The education required for an Auditor is a Bachelor's Degree. The job description for an Auditor may be examine and analyze accounting records and prepare financial reports. The skills needed to be an Auditor could be, critical thinking, reading comprehension, active listening, speaking, active learning, and complex problem solving. The job description for a legal secretary is pretty simple. They perform secretarial duties using legal terminology and deal with legal documents. The education requirement for a Legal Secretary is not set. Most Legal Secretaries have an Associate's Degree or just some college, but no degree. Some skills needed to be a Legal Secretary could be, writing, reading comprehension, active listening, speaking, critical thinking, coordination, time management, and social perceptiveness. These two careers are pretty similar when you look at the basics.

Learning Style.

Yesterday, we took a survey to see what our individual learning style is. My learning style is tactile. This means that I learn faster and better if everything is hands-on. In response to Mr. Boyar's question, "What does your style mean to you", I'd say it means to me that I have an attention problem. I'd say most people that have a tactile learning style probably get distracted easily. I know I do. It impacts my learning a lot because rarely any teachers use that learning method. To make things easier in high school by using my learning style, I could use the notes and information I get in class and somehow make it into a project or scenario to act out. That would help me remember and understand things much better and easier. It might take more time to do everything, but that would mean I actually understand information. I think tactile learning should be something more teachers use. I do not think it is used as much as it should be.

The last few days we've been doing two careers in Human Services. Today we're describing them and telling why they matter to us if they even do. My first career is a Epidemiologist. This job includes studying diseases, infections, and health outcomes. Some of them take their observations and put them into solving the problem. They have to be very critical thinkers and active listeners since they have to observe a lot of things. They have to have at least a Master's Degree. They make about $65,000 in the U.S. The projected job growth for an Epidemiologist is from %20 - 28%. My second job is a Mental Health Counselor. A Mental Health Counselor helps people with their mental, emotional, and substance abuse problems. Their job requires a Master's Degree and they make about $40,080 in the U.S. The projected growth for a Mental Health Counselor is 29% or higher. They both matter to me. The reason they matter to me is because they both relate to the career I actually want to do. I want to help people in some way and I want to be in the medical field.

STEM Connections

This week we chose two careers in the cluster, STEM. This stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. I did Aerospace Engineer and Agriculutural Engineer. The job an Aerospace Engineer does includes; Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. All it leaves out is Science. I could be wrong, but it probably does involve science too. Not as much as the other three though. The job an Agricultural Engineer does includes all four parts of STEM. Agricultural Engineering is no doubt part of STEM. Both of these careers I picked from STEM require very advanced thinking and communicating skills. I'd say most careers in STEM require both of those.

Response to Mr. Boyars

I think one of the reasons our faculty made STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) one of our academies is because those things are invovled in every career there could be. This academy/career cluster is so important. In the past few years, every career and job has been linked to STEM in some sort of way. In the next few years, every career will be linked to to STEM in a lot of ways. I think it's a good evolution. We need science, technology, engineering and math. It's become a necessity. Some people might not agree with that, and some people do. The advancements we've had have not only made things easier, but it's made more things possible. It also creates jobs and goals for peopel to try and reach. STEM is definitely not only a cluster. I think the faculty made a good decision by making it an Academy.

Making connections

This week we did Law and public safety. I am actually quite interested in this cluster. I've always had a career in law in my mind. The other week we did Health Science and that has definitely been my number one career cluster for a long time. I've always wanted to be in the medical field in some way. In both jobs I can help people. That's one of the reasons I like both of the clusters.

Introduction

My name is Hannah. I'm in Career Exploration for 8th hour. This is my first post on this blog. This class doesn't help me all that much because it's not exactly helping me with the career I want to pursue as an adult. We've done the same thing since we started school and it's really getting on my nerves.