Lesson Plan
What's Your Employable Edge?
Students will be able to identify and define key employability skills and understand their importance in future career paths.
Understanding what makes you employable is crucial for future success. This lesson helps students start thinking about skills that will benefit them in high school and beyond, making them more prepared for college and careers.
Audience
9th Grade
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Interactive discussion, presentation, and a fill-in-the-blank worksheet.
Materials
What's Your Employable Edge? Slide Deck, Employable Edge Fill-in-the-Blank Worksheet, and Employable Edge Answer Key Answer Key
Prep
Review Materials
10 minutes
- Review the What's Your Employable Edge? Slide Deck to familiarize yourself with the content.
- Print copies of the Employable Edge Fill-in-the-Blank Worksheet for each student.
- Keep the Employable Edge Answer Key handy for grading or discussion.
Step 1
Introduction: What's Your Edge?
5 minutes
- Begin by asking students what they think 'employable edge' means.
- Use the first few slides of the What's Your Employable Edge? Slide Deck to introduce the concept and its relevance.
Step 2
Exploring Employability Skills
10 minutes
- Go through the core slides of the What's Your Employable Edge? Slide Deck, discussing each key employability skill (e.g., communication, teamwork, problem-solving, critical thinking, adaptability, leadership).
- Encourage brief student examples or experiences related to these skills.
Step 3
Worksheet Activity
10 minutes
- Distribute the Employable Edge Fill-in-the-Blank Worksheet.
- Instruct students to complete the worksheet individually, using the information discussed.
- Circulate to assist students as needed.
Step 4
Review and Wrap-up
5 minutes
- Review the worksheet answers using the Employable Edge Answer Key as a class.
- Facilitate a brief discussion on which skills students feel they already possess and which they want to develop.
- Conclude by emphasizing the continuous nature of developing these skills.
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Slide Deck
What's Your Employable Edge?
What makes you stand out to employers?
Welcome students and introduce the topic. Ask them what 'employable edge' means to them. Record a few ideas on the board.
Your Employable Edge: The Basics
It's what sets you apart!
- Skills
- Qualities
- Experience
It makes you a valuable team member.
Explain that an 'employable edge' is about the unique skills and qualities that make someone attractive to employers. It's not just about what you know, but what you can do.
Skill #1: Communication
Sharing ideas clearly and listening well.
- Speaking
- Writing
- Listening
- Non-verbal cues
Introduce the first key skill: Communication. Ask students for examples of good communication in school or personal life.
Skill #2: Teamwork
Working together effectively to achieve a common goal.
- Collaboration
- Conflict resolution
- Supporting others
Discuss teamwork. Ask about projects where they had to work with others. What made it successful or challenging?
Skill #3: Problem-Solving
Finding solutions to difficult or complex issues.
- Identifying the problem
- Brainstorming solutions
- Implementing and evaluating
Explain problem-solving. Give a simple scenario and ask how they would approach solving it.
Skill #4: Critical Thinking
Analyzing information to form a judgment.
- Questioning assumptions
- Evaluating evidence
- Making reasoned decisions
Introduce critical thinking. How do they decide if information is trustworthy or make a good decision?
Skill #5: Adaptability
Adjusting to new conditions, situations, or environments.
- Flexibility
- Open-mindedness
- Learning new things
Discuss adaptability. How do they react when plans change or something unexpected happens?
Skill #6: Leadership
Guiding, motivating, and influencing others.
- Taking initiative
- Inspiring others
- Responsibility
Talk about leadership. It's not always about being the 'boss.' How can they show leadership in their daily lives?
Why Are These Skills Important?
They help you in:
- School projects
- Extracurricular activities
- Future jobs
- Everyday life!
Start developing them NOW!
Explain that these skills are important for all future paths, not just jobs. Encourage students to start thinking about how they can develop these now.
Time for Your Worksheet!
Complete the Employable Edge Fill-in-the-Blank Worksheet to test your knowledge of these key skills.
Introduce the worksheet and explain its purpose.
Reflect and Grow
Let's review your answers and discuss how you can continue to sharpen your employable edge!
Transition to reviewing the worksheet and final discussion.
Worksheet
Employable Edge Fill-in-the-Blank
Instructions: Fill in the blanks with the correct employability skill or term from the word bank below.
Word Bank:
Communication | Teamwork | Problem-Solving | Critical Thinking | Adaptability | Leadership | Employable Edge
-
Your _________ is what makes you stand out to employers and makes you a valuable team member.
-
_________ is the ability to share ideas clearly and listen well to others, both by speaking and writing.
-
Working together effectively to achieve a common goal is known as _________. This often involves collaboration and resolving conflicts.
-
The skill of _________ involves finding solutions to difficult or complex issues, often by identifying the problem and brainstorming solutions.
-
_________ is the ability to analyze information to form a judgment, which means questioning assumptions and evaluating evidence.
-
When you can adjust to new conditions, situations, or environments, you are showing _________. This includes being flexible and open-minded.
-
_________ means guiding, motivating, and influencing others. It can involve taking initiative and being responsible.
Challenge Question: In your own words, why is it important to start developing these skills now?
Answer Key
Employable Edge Answer Key
Instructions: Review the answers below for the "Employable Edge Fill-in-the-Blank" worksheet.
-
Your Employable Edge is what makes you stand out to employers and makes you a valuable team member.
- Thought Process: The blank refers to the overall concept of what makes someone desirable to employers, which is the "Employable Edge" itself.
-
Communication is the ability to share ideas clearly and listen well to others, both by speaking and writing.
- Thought Process: The description directly matches the definition of communication, emphasizing sharing ideas and listening.
-
Working together effectively to achieve a common goal is known as Teamwork. This often involves collaboration and resolving conflicts.
- Thought Process: The keywords "working together" and "common goal" strongly indicate teamwork.
-
The skill of Problem-Solving involves finding solutions to difficult or complex issues, often by identifying the problem and brainstorming solutions.
- Thought Process: "Finding solutions to difficult issues" is the core definition of problem-solving.
-
Critical Thinking is the ability to analyze information to form a judgment, which means questioning assumptions and evaluating evidence.
- Thought Process: "Analyzing information" and "forming a judgment" are key aspects of critical thinking.
-
When you can adjust to new conditions, situations, or environments, you are showing Adaptability. This includes being flexible and open-minded.
- Thought Process: "Adjusting to new conditions" and "flexible" are direct indicators of adaptability.
-
Leadership means guiding, motivating, and influencing others. It can involve taking initiative and being responsible.
- Thought Process: "Guiding, motivating, and influencing others" defines leadership.
Challenge Question: In your own words, why is it important to start developing these skills now?
- Possible Answer: Developing these skills now helps you succeed in school, extracurricular activities, and prepares you for future jobs and challenges. It gives you a head start and makes you more capable in various situations. It allows you to build a strong foundation for your future career and personal growth. (Answers may vary but should reflect understanding of the long-term benefits of these skills).