Suggested Target Age: Grades 9-12 (but best for 9th-10th graders)
Topics Covered: basic employee skills, comparing occupations, researching future careers, understanding employee benefits
Source: NEFE High School Financial Planning Program
Time Required: approximately 30 minutes
What Will the Students Learn?
- They will understand the five basic skills employers look for
- They will understand the concepts of salary and benefits, and learn about common benefits offered by employers and their worth
State Academic Standards Key
California: CTE 3.1, 3.2, CTE 7.1
Florida: Goal 3 Standard 5
Indiana: Guidance 9-12.2.2, 9-12.2.7, 9-12.2.12
Virginia: CE.12b, CE.12c
NOTE: This lesson requires access to computers and the Internet.
Materials Needed:
- Power point, computer & projector OR a large chart (see step 2 of Lesson Plan)
- Teacher/instructor should plan the NEFE game before teaching this class (see step 3)
- Copies of the handout, Comparing Employee Benefits
Lesson Plan:
Set-Up: Gather students together in the computer lab
Introduction: Explain that in today’s class students will be learning a little about preparing for the workplace
1. Write the number 12,220 on the chalkboard/whiteboard. Tell the students that this number is the number of days a full-time worker who starts working at age 18 and retires at 65 will work. That’s 47 years of working. That’s a lot of days. So it’s pretty important to land in a job that you actually like. Your first jobs may not be all that fun or interesting, but eventually students should aim toward a career that builds on their interests and talents. But the first rung on the job ladder is an entry-level job. Unless youth are successful there, getting better jobs down the road will be difficult. So today’s class will focus on getting prepared in terms of “job basics.”
2. Have students log onto: http://hsfpp.nefe.org/students/channels.cfm?chid=53&tid=3&deptid=15 Then click on the “Success Street Game” link at the bottom of the page. This brings you to the log-in screen. Students will enter their first names, then click start. This will bring them to the main menu of the game section of the NEFE High School Financial Planning Program. They will hear “Drew” – the game narrator. They should click on the game called “Live to Work or Work to Live.”
3. Each student will play this game. This will likely take about 15-20 minutes. In the course of the game, students will learn the basic skills employers look for, and then the higher-order skills in demand. Students will also complete exercises in which they will identify the future “job outlook” for various careers. The game is self-explanatory, but as the instructor, you may want to play it yourself BEFORE you teach this lesson, so you will be familiar with it.
4. When all students have completed the game, debrief as a group:
a. were you surprised at how basic the basic skills are that employers are looking for?
b. who thinks they might have the qualities and character of an entrepreneur?
c. what did you learn about the future job outlook for the career(s) you are interested in?
5. Now explain that many jobs, in addition to paying a salary, offering employee benefits. Ask the students to name some benefits they may have heard of [health insurance, retirement pensions, paid sick leave, paid holidays, life insurance] Emphasize that benefits have significant monetary value – sometimes the benefit package is worth 25% of more of the employee’s salary. Thus, when comparing job offers, it is important to look beyond the salary offered to the benefits package as well.
6. Pass out copies of the handout, Comparing Employee Benefits. Pair up the students and have them work together on the worksheet. Their task is to determine which of the two job offers Nicholas has is better in terms of the benefits package.
7. When the students are finished, debrief as a large group:
a. which job do they think Nicholas should take?
b. for them, which benefits are the most attractive?
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