Volume 8, No. 1
Spring 2002

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Organizing Career Information

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ORGANIZING CAREER INFORMATION:
An Introduction to Career Interest Areas, and how they can help you.

by Nancy Harris

We live in a changing labor market. Technological advances and global competition have transformed the nature of work. Occupations are constantly being created, modified or eliminated as technology transforms the workplace and the needs of employers are altered. Tomorrow’s workers must be prepared to change jobs and careers several times, continually updating their knowledge and skills. The challenge to educators is to teach students to plan their careers and prepare for the workforce recognizing the jobs of the future may not exist now.

Career planning is a complex process. One step in the process is to relate self knowledge to the available opportunities in the labor market. To do this successfully a person must be able to locate, access, evaluate and use information that defines options and opportunities. Career planning using labor market information is based on the assumption that the more knowledge one can obtain about oneself and the world of work, the better the career choice.

To provide organization and consistency to the production and use of career information, the State of Illinois has identified six categories called Career Interest Areas (CIAs). Career Interest Areas are large groupings of occupations that have similar industry backgrounds and functions. The career areas of interest help educators to make students aware of the wide spectrum of occupations in the labor market through experiential, interdisciplinary activities that reinforce the fundamental learning areas. It is expected that by the beginning of the 11th grade, all students will be able to select a Career Interest Area to further investigate.

AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES

Agribusiness, agriscience and natural resources include enterprises such as farms; dairies; greenhouses; fruit orchards; nurseries; the production of crops, plants or trees; mining and petroleum production.

Interests and Abilities of this Area: A desire to work in the outdoors; clear verbal communication skills; ability to use good judgment, knowledge of math, business, science and computer skills; patience and composure in working with animals; mechanical aptitude and ability to work with tools; observation and organization skills; ability to work both alone and with others; leadership ability and decision making skills; interests in chemistry, biology, research, food science.

ARTS AND COMMUNICATION

Arts and communications are essential parts of our modern society. People in these careers share emotions, ideas, information and innovations. Arts and communications include such enterprises as film, theater, television, radio, visual arts, printing and publishing.

Interests and Abilities of this Area: Ability to be flexible and think creatively; good oral and written communication skills; have physical/manual dexterity; able to get along with others and work as part of a team; set goals and work independently; have aesthetic and spatial perception; have sense of rhythm; poised in social situations or in a crisis; ability to express ideas with ease and clarity; ability to translate design ideas into design realities.

BUSINESS AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES

Each sector of the economy, from mining and agriculture to wholesale and retail trade, requires office workers and business and financial experts. This career interest area includes those occupations that support the ongoing operation of enterprises from other industries as well as enterprises that are business-related. Business services, finance, insurance, real estate, and wholesale and retail trade are included in this career interest area.

Interests and Abilities of this Area: Like operating computers or other business machines; like to work with numbers, writing letters, filing records, or preparing reports; prefer performing detailed work; give and receive information; enjoy making speeches, debating, or persuading other people; like to greet people, answer questions or help customers; seen as a leader by your peers; prefer to plan and direct activities of other people; prefer your work structured.

HEALTH CARE

Health care services, with their advanced technological changes and high degree of specialization, offer many individual challenges. People working in health care services may work in a variety of settings including hospitals, medical and dental offices, community health care clinics, research laboratories and homes.

Interests and Abilities of this Area: Ability to be accurate; alert and composed in a crisis; thoughtful, sensitive and patient; comfortable in leadership roles; can work as part of a team; flexible and enjoys varied tasks; can think critically and creatively; has good physical skills and enjoys activities which promote physical stamina; has concern for people and their problems.

HUMAN AND FAMILY SERVICES

Variety is the key feature of the occupations in the human and family service area. These occupations provide important functions in our communities. People in these occupations work in the hospitality and recreation fields, public and community services, or family/consumer and personal service areas.

Interests and Abilities of this Area: Composed in a crisis or conflict; inspire trust and confidence in others; polite, understanding, sensitive and patient; write and speak clearly; think creatively; has leadership skills; is flexible and enjoys varied tasks; takes and follows directions; plans and directs others’ activities; analyzes and evaluates information readily; has concern for people and their problems; has good physical skills and enjoys activities which promote physical stamina.

ENGINEERING AND INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY

Modern technology has an enormous effect on our lives. The occupations represented in this career interest area use and produce technology that makes life simpler. Manufacturing, construction, transportation and engineering are included in this career interest area. Scientists, engineers, technologists and technicians all contribute to the development of technology.

Interests and Abilities of this Area: An aptitude in mathematics and/or science; ability to communicate and get along with others; leadership skills and good judgment, good physical skills and stamina; ability to be accurate and concentrate; curiosity and ability to solve a problem with creativity; a preference for working with your hands; ability to use logic to solve problems; good organizational skills and the ability to complete projects; composure under stress or in a crisis; ability to analyze problems; ability to understand and pay close attention to standards; pride in doing a job right the first time.

HOW CAN CIAs BE USED

Career Interest Areas help students identify pathways from school to further education and training, and the workplace. Students learn to recognize the relationship between what they learn in school and what they do in the future. Career Interest Areas assist educators meet the career development needs of their students particularly in the awareness and exploration stages of the career development process. In the classroom, Career Interest Areas may be used in such ways like:

• Assigning a Career Interest Area by grade level; i.e. 1st grade - Human And Family Services, 2nd grade – Arts and Communications.
• Assigning a Career Interest Area by subject matter area; i.e. Science – Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mathematics – Engineering and Industrial Technology.
• Using the Career Interest Areas to organize field trips and resource speakers so students are exposed to a variety of careers.
• Use the Career Interest Areas to help organize educational visits to business and industry.
• Utilize the Career Interest Areas so that all students are aware of the full range of career options, are able to make an informed choice, and are provided with opportunities to select a career focus for further study.
• Use the Career Interest Areas to organize the occupations represented at a career day or fair.
• Organize work-based learning experiences by Career Interest Area.
• Organize subject matter research assignments by Career Interest Area.
• Organize Parents’ Speakers “bureau” by Career Interest Area.
• Produce labor market information and organize results by Career Interest Area.

For more information about career development, contact

Nancy Harris
llinois State Board of Education
100 North First Street, E-420
Springfield, IL 62777-0001
217/782-4768
nharris@isbe.net www.isbe.state.il.us