JA It’s My Future provides students with practical information about preparing for the working world while still in middle school.

Following participation in the program, students will be able to:

  • Explore potential careers, discover how to plan for a job, and learn how to keep it.
  • Develop personal-branding and job-hunting tools for earning a job.

Session One: My Brand

Through interviews, self-reflection, and creation of a personal logo, students explore the importance of building a positive personal brand for the future, starting in middle school.

Session Two: Career Clusters

Students explore career clusters and identify jobs for additional research. They also recognize the value of and need for all types of jobs.

Session Three: High-Growth Careers

Students learn the four factors to consider in choosing a job, and they take a close look at some high-growth career fields.

Session Four: Career Mapping

Students explore how to use life experiences to develop work skills and how to map a path to employment goals.

Session Five: On the Hunt

Students are introduced to the basic aspects of job hunting through a scavenger hunt. Students are taught to keep all their vital job-hunting information in one place.

Session Six: How to Keep (or Lose) a Job

Students learn the difference between technical and soft skills, and they recognize the impact that their personal behavior has on their ability to succeed in a job.