8th grade career info

Complete 2 surveys in Naviance Letter from Counselor Complete 2 surveys in Naviance before January 21st https://www.naviance.com/

Surveys (due by FEBRUARY 5th) StrengthsExplorer Cluster Finder 78 questions Asks questions about what you prefer 4 Parts You decide what things you like to do NOW and in the FUTURE

We each have great talents Everyone is different Some people enjoy talking: some are quiet. Some like to sit and read; some like to run around. Some like to have a lot of friends: some have fun with just a few friends. We each have great talents The more we know about our talents, the more we can understand what makes us special and how we can use those talents to do things really well. Strengths Explorer Lists top three themes of talent

Meet with Mrs. Greathouse (January 22-February 8) Discuss your survey results Talk about High School plans Complete a Personal Graduation Plan

Reality Check https://texasrealitycheck.com/Location?flow=lifestyle

Imagine . . . $28,080 Annual Salary $2,333 monthly budget Item Payment Amount Left Federal Income Tax (10%) $233 $2,100 Social Security Tax (7.65%) 178 1,922 Medical/dental insurance + out-of-pocket 150 1,772 Housing (Rent - 1 Bdrm, Unfurnished) 600 1,172 Food 330 842 Car Payments 300 542 Car Insurance 167 375 Gas, Oil, etc. 70 305 Telephone 30 275 Utilities 105 170 Clothing 30 140 Entertainment 30 110 Personal Items 25 85 Furniture, TV, appliances 50 35 Savings 25 10 Miscellaneous 10 0 NOTE: As you work through this imaginary budget, get the students to tell you how much they think they’d need to spend for various categories. Have fun with it. You may want to reveal the budget slowly, line by line. The figures are conservative. Some figures may seem really low—such as gas, clothing, entertainment, personal items, etc. These are not actual average costs; they’re simply budget guesses based on how much discretionary money is left after paying for the essentials. $70 for gas & oil will work better for someone with an economy car and a 5-mile commute than a person with a large SUV and a 30-mile commute! Apartmenet Rent – Average 1 bedroom, unfurnished apt. figure based on averages for major cities in Texas. Food budget is figured using what students think it costs to east fast food three meals per day—usually $11/day multiplied by 30 days. Car payments are figured for a used car. Car insurance is mandatory—and this figure only applies to a good driver covered on parents’ insurance. Phone=land line—local service only (no long distance, cell phone, call waiting). Utilities include gas, electricity, water. Sometimes these are included in the rent, but then rent is higher. Students may argue $30 for clothing is much too low. Tell them they can spend more for clothing, but must cut elsewhere. Entertainment? Movies, DVDs, video games, etc. How much does a movie ticket cost, popcorn and soda cost? Will $30 buy much entertainment for a month? Miscellaneous items? Shampoo, toothpaste, hair spray, deodorant, etc. Furniture—inherit cast-offs from family and friends? Otherwise, $50 for time payments leaves their apt. practically vacant. By the end, students will realize $28K will not go as far as they’d thought.

Minimum Wage vs. Skilled Job You Choose! Unskilled Labor Skilled Labor $7.25 x 40 hrs/wk $290.00 x 52 wks/yr $15,080 $13.50 x 40 hrs/wk $540.00 x 52 wks/yr $28,080 As you show this slide, ask students what kind of job can they get when they turn 16. Many will say “fast food”. What would this pay? (Minimum Wage) So what is the current minimum wage? (Federal minimum wage increased to $7.25 on July 2009.) Are these good jobs for teenagers? Yes, for two reasons: 1) gives you spending money and 2) gives you good job experience. But what if you had to work a minimum wage job full time, working 40 hours per week, 52 weeks per year, without vacation? Now show the “unskilled labor” part of the slide. In our example (now click to the “skilled part of the slide) students saw that it’s hard to live well on $28,000 per year. So how well would they do on minimum wage? If no student speaks up, point out the fact that they could work two minimum wage jobs without reaching $28,000! Tell them there is no shame at working minimum wage; some families work really hard to provide for their families. But wouldn’t they rather work in a job that they enjoy that pays them a higher wage?

Option 1: Work Ready $18,500 - $25,760 Retail Sales Receptionist Bill/Account Collector Medical/Dental Assistant Social/Human Service Assistant Cashier General Office Clerk $18,500 - $25,760 Let’s say that you decide to go to work as soon as you graduate from Allen High School. These are examples of jobs that may be available for people with little or no training beyond high school. What kind of salary could a graduate anticipate from one of these jobs? Depending on the employer, the job, and the location, you might be able to make $18,500 to $25,000. 9

Military Service Careers Option 2: Military Service Careers ARMY, NAVY, AIR FORCE, MARINES, COAST GUARD Potential Annual Salary Enlisted, basic pay: $18,000 Aircraft Mechanic: $36,600 Military Pilot: $72,300 What about the military? As you can see, there are several options. While in the military, you can continue studying and work toward a degree or certification that can lead to further success, either in the military or in civilian life. With a very strong high school background, you might be able to win an appointment to one of our nation’s prestigious military academies. Upon graduation, you will enter the service as an officer. 10

Technical or Community College Option 3: Technical or Community College One to two year program that earns technical/career certifications. Two year program at a community, or junior college earning an Associate’s Degree Potential Annual Salary $20,000 + Certifications are available in some computer, technology, or medical fields. Length of these programs could be as short as 6 weeks to 18 months. What about salaries? The pay is substantially higher than salaries for high-school graduates. Salaries can start between $26,000 and $36,000 per year, and generally your pay will increase at a faster rate than that of people with only a high school education. Career Options for a 2 year Program: Computer Support Specialist, Medical Record and Health Information Technician, Physical Therapist Assistant, Dental Hygienist, or Legal Secretary Two year programs usually grant an Associate’s degree and your courses will transfer to a four year college or university. Many students who graduate from Allen ISD choose to attend Collin College located in Plano, McKinney, or Frisco. Attending a community college can save you money. 11

Jobs Requiring certifications Starting Salaries with Certificates and/or Associate Degree Licensed Vocational Nurse $41,494 Accounting Clerk $19,933 Radiologic Technologist $33,881 Electrician $26,108 Physical Therapy Assistant $32,928 Chemical Technician $33,208 CAD Drafter $35,983 Electronic Technician $35,161 Forensic Science Tech $28,313 Point out that many good jobs in the economy do not require a four year degree. The jobs in this slide all require 1 to 2 years additional training beyond high school. Classes can be taken at community colleges or at a variety of career/technical colleges and institutes. Students can enter these occupations and earn money that will more easily support a family. But to train for these jobs, they will need a strong high school background with math, science, and other courses: those courses that are part of the Eagle Scholars Program. Several jobs listed here are related to health care and high tech industries. These will continue to be big growth areas in the future. As the population grows and Baby Boomers age, there will be a tremendous need for trained healthcare workers—ranging from people with certifications to advanced degrees. Energy companies will be looking for thousand of people with certifications and 2 year degrees. And some of the salaries are even higher than those you see here. Source: Texas Workforce Commission—Wage Information Network, Texas Statewide Entry Wage 12

Option 4: College or University A four-year program that results in a Bachelor’s degree. Many universities also offer Master’s degree and Doctoral degree programs. Potential Annual Salary $40,000+ Finally, an Eagle Scholar has a fourth option: a four-year program at a college or university. You will earn what is called a Bachelor’s Degree in 4 years and you will earn it in a specific field: math, art, IT, business, accounting, etc. Job possibilities with a 4 year degree include Network Analyst, Database Administrator, Teacher, Engineer, Financial Manager, General Manager, or Accountant. These positions offer even higher pay: $40,000 plus. In fact, many engineering jobs start at well over $50,000 per year. For advanced degree-holders, the benefits may be even higher. 13

professional Jobs Starting Salaries with 4-year College Degrees Chemical Engineer $50,060 Wildlife Biologist $41,400 Registered Nurse $47,710 Accountant $42,233 Network Administrator $48,520 Public School Teacher $45,000 Physician’s Assistant $64,770 Statisticians $52,490 Computer Software Engineer $67,620 What are the jobs for people with 4-year college degrees and what do they pay? Here you see average starting salaries for the Dallas area in several fields. Depending on where you live in Texas, some salaries may be higher or lower. Engineering and medical positions will be in high demand as more Baby Boomers retire. These are definitely careers worth investigating. Note that the figures above are beginning salaries; with experience and good job performance can come substantial increases. For example, while a new accountant may start out at about $36,000 per year, the average salary for an experienced accountant is almost $70,000 per year. An experienced registered nurse averages more than $65,000 per year! Source: Texas Workforce Commission—Wage Information Network, Texas Statewide Entry Wage; US Dept of Labor; US Census Bureau 14

Achieving Related Careers You have more energy and more goals than other people. You love a sense of accomplishment. Related Careers Business Finance, Construction, Correction Services, Engineering/Technology Restaurant Services Facility Maintenance IT Support National Security Quality Assurance Regulation

Caring Related Careers In your heart, helping other people is very important. You want to make the world better by helping people in small ways or big ways. Related Careers Administration/Admin Support Diagnostic Services Family Community Services General Management Lodging Production Teaching/Training Therapeutic Services Travel/Tourism

Competing Related Careers You see many things in life as a game, and you feel great joy when you win. You truly hate to lose because you are always striving for first place. Related Careers Animal Systems (genetics, nutrition, growth & development) Banking Business Information Management Manufacture Production Process Merchandising

Journalism/Broadcasting Confidence You believe in yourself and what you can do. This helps you take on challenges because you feel sure you can succeed. Related Careers EMT/Fire Management Journalism/Broadcasting Law Enforcement Legal Services Performing Arts

Administration/Admin Support Dependability Trust is important to you, and you care about being seen as responsible and trustworthy. People count on you to do what you say you will do. When you make a promise, you mean to keep it. Related Careers Administration/Admin Support Animal Systems AV Tech & Film Construction Health Safety Law Enforcement Public Management Support Services

Discoverer Related Careers A thinker and learner, you are excited about exploring ideas and making connections. You like to ask the questions “How?” and “Why?” Related Careers Accounting Agribusiness Biotechnology research/development Business Finance Consumer Services (Fin, Real Estate, Insurance) Design/Pre-construction Counseling/Mental Health Services

Future Thinker Related Careers Your mind loves to think and dream about the future. You are a person who thinks about what is possible, not what is impossible. Related Careers Design/Pre-construction Engineering & Technology Health/Safety/Environment Management Manufacturing Production Process Marketing Communication

Organizer Related Careers Scheduling, planning, and organizing your world makes life better. People count on you to get the details right and pull a plan together. Related Careers Accounting Admin Services Agribusiness AV Technology Biotech Research EMT/Fire Environmental Services Health/Safety Marketing Management National Security Public Administration

Presence Related Careers You were born to be at the front of the room telling stories and taking the lead. Other people watch you and listen to you. Related Careers Governance Human Resources Journalism/Broadcasting Legal Services Marketing Communication

Relating Related Careers You like to start friendships and keep them for a long time, maybe even your whole life. You widen the circle of friends for yourself and others. Related Careers Banking Counseling Early Childhood Development General Management Governance Human Resources Professional Support Services