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Skills and Careers Activity

Teaching Resources for High School Psychology Teachers on Skills

Written by Drew Appleby, Lindsey Herting, Sejal Schullo

Purpose

This activity is designed to help students identify the skills that are necessary for career success and to increase their awareness of careers in psychological science and related fields.    

National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula

  • Scientific Inquiry and Research Methods Foundation

  • Content Standard 1: The nature of psychological science

  • Students are able to (learning targets):
    1.4 Identify careers individuals can pursue in psychological science.
    1.5 Identify ways individuals can use psychological science in any career.

Time Required

Approximately 50 minutes.

Materials

  1. Digital access to O*NET OnLineopens in new window

  2. Digital or print access to assignment (found below).

Task

  1. Students will go to O*NET OnLineopens in new window, click on “Advanced Search,” and then on “Go to Skills Search.”

  2. Students will read through categories of skills and select the skills at which they believe they excel. When they are finished, they will click “Go” to see the results.

  3. Students will receive a list of careers that require the skills they identified as strengths. Students will choose one career that connects to psychological science, click on it, and use the assignment (below) for reflection.

  4. Teachers will discuss careers related to Psychology. See resources below for further assistance. TOPSS has a new teaching module on Careers, Education and Vocational Applications of Psychology, available to TOPSS members.

Assessment

Observation of student responses for reflection activity (student handout) and classroom discussion for accurate identification of Psychology related careers and subfields.  

Extension Ideas

  1. Students can complete an O*NET assessment for a career field of their choice.

  2. Create action plans for improving skills students identified as weaknesses.

  3. Do further research on the diversity in the career field, for example racial breakdown, regional differences, average age of employees in the area. 

Resources

Appleby, D. C. (2016). An online career-exploration resource for psychology majors. Society for the Teaching of Psychology’s Office of Teaching Resources. Retrieved from https://www.teachpsych.org/resources/Documents/otrp/resources/appleby16students.docxopens in new window 

Appleby, D. C. (2016). An introduction for faculty to an online career-exploration resource for psychology majors. Society for the Teaching of Psychology’s Office of Teaching Resources. Retrieved from https://www.teachpsych.org/resources/Documents/otrp/resources/02%20-%20An%20Introduction%20for%20Faculty%20to%20an%20Online%20Career-Exploration%20Resourc....docxopens in new window

Appleby, D. C. (2017). An online vocational-exploration resource for high school psychology students. Society for the Teaching of Psychology’s Office of Teaching Resources. Retrieved from https://www.teachpsych.org/resources/Documents/otrp/resources/An%20Online%20Vocational-Exploration%20Resource%20for%20High%20School%20Psychology%20Students%20(Poster).pptxopens in new window

Attachment

Student Handout: Self-Reflection of Transferable Skills and Careersopens in new window (PDF, 27KB)


This resource was developed by a Working Group on Skills that Promote Well-Being and Flourishing from the APA Summit on High School Psychology Education (July 2017).


Date created: 2018

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