Transcript Job Description

Using the
Massachusetts Work-Based Learning Plan
in Summer Jobs Placements
Pen & Paper / Microsoft Word version
Warm-Up Exercise
Warm-up:
In the five minutes
before the workshop
begins, answer these
questions with others
at your table or on
your own.
Answers will be
shared and discussed
at the end of the
workshop.
What was the best summer or after-school job you
had as a teen/young adult?
What did you learn from this job?
What was the most unexciting (or unglamorous) job
you have ever had?
What did you learn from this job?
Using the Work-Based Learning Plan
Identify and plan the
summer work
experience.
Write the Work-Based Learning Plan
• Job Description
• Skills/Tasks
Use the Work-Based Learning Plan
as a guide for a formal or informal
group or one-on-one orientation
Conduct a first review early in the
work experience. Provide
feedback and set goals.
Conduct a second review near the
end of the work experience.
Provide feedback and brief
suggestions for future career
development.
Sections of the WBLP
• Heading (basic information)
• Job Description
• Section 1: Foundation Skills
(skills used in all jobs -- already written)
• Section 2: Career and Workplace Specific Skills
(list and describe up to seven skills)
• Section 3: Performance Review
(provide ratings and write goals and comments)
WBLP Heading
• Completed by
program staff.
• Contains names of
participant,
supervisor,
program staff and
other basic
information.
Job Description
• Written by program
staff and/or
employer, in
collaboration.
• Brief description.
• Is important for
providing participant
with an overview of
the job and insight
into the workplace.
Journalism Intern will be responsible for
occasional interviews and story with
Will
include
direction from
editor;
photography related
to stories;
typing police
logs;
assisting
screenshot
and
link
with editing calendar selections;
here
occasional filing; and observing the final
editing process. In addition, Intern will
also work on a special project at the office
one day per week (TBD).
Foundation Skills
• Already written.
• Should be discussed
with the participant in
a group or one-on-one
orientation by program
staff or employer.
• This orientation can
provide specific tips
related to the
workplace, such as
what to wear,
attendance policy, or
safety information.
Will include
screenshot and link
here
Career and Workplace Specific Skills
• Along with the job
description, these may
be written by program
staff and/or employer,
in collaboration.
• This section is key to
helping the participant
make the most of the
work experience as an
opportunity to learn.
Will include
screenshot and link
here
Performance Review
• Conduct two
performance reviews –
one early in the work
experience and one
near the end of the
work experience.
• Completed by
supervisor in
collaboration with the
program staff.
Will include
screenshot and link
here
More About Job Descriptions
• Brief, but with enough information to
provide the “flavor” of the job.
• Include “who, what, where and why”
information in the job description.
• The job description can include the
job title, a few words describing the
organization, a brief list of tasks, and
a few words about the customers or
goals of the work.
As hostess in a friendly
restaurant, greet
customers and seat them
as soon as possible. Make
them feel comfortable
and welcomed. Operate
cash register and clear
and set tables.
See additional real examples of WBLP job descriptions at
http://www.skillslibrary.com/wbl/jobdescriptions.asp
Job Descriptions: Identifying Tasks
• Develop jobs that provide both
routine daily tasks and
opportunities for special projects.
• Special projects may be short-term
projects with a specific visible
outcome (such as preparing a new
garden bed) or specific
contributions to longer-term
organizational projects (such as
research for an ongoing signage
improvement initiative). Projects
may involve skills different from
those used in the daily tasks or
may involve application of the
same skills.
As a Summer Parks Intern,
assist Parks Department
staff in daily park
maintenance and special
projects. Park maintenance
tasks include weeding,
watering plants and
maintaining walkways.
Special projects may include
preparing the soil for a new
garden and working on a
signage project.
Job Descriptions: Sharing Background
• Use the job description to reinforce
information that might also be
shared in an orientation or in formal
or informal on-the-job training.
• Share brief information about
history, goals, customers and other
interesting background information
about the organization and about
the work.
Work as a landscaping
assistant in the XYZ Park,
which is a 100-year old
park designed by landscape
architect Harold Harrison,
visited by thousands of
city residents each
summer. Tasks include
maintaining walkways,
weeding, and providing
water for plants during dry
periods of the summer.
Foundation Skills
• The list of foundation skills
provides a guide for orienting
students to the workplace and for
defining expectations.
• Review these foundation skills in a
formal orientation session or in
one-on-one orientation.
• Identify specific expectations of
your workplace, including
expected clothing, attendance
expectations, safety guidelines and
more.
• Provide both oral and written
guidelines where applicable.
EXAMPLE: Things to know
about health and safety
when working outdoors:
• Water and hydration
• Sun and sunscreen
• Avoiding heat stroke
• When to seek First Aid
• Lifting techniques
• Use of tools, rakes,
shovels
• Handling trash
(Check your organization’s
safety policies and add to
this list…)
Workplace and Career Specific Skills
•
Identify skills that are specific to this
workplace or career area. The list of
skills to be included is flexible. You
may list up to seven skills or may
focus on just one or two skills.
Food Preparation:
Student will plan, prepare and serve
healthy and nutritious suppers to
children.
•
The list can include:
Project Management:
Create a display for the Visitor Center
–
specific task-oriented skills (weeding,
park maintenance, food preparation,
filing medical records…);
– broad skills (project management,
collecting and organizing information,
using math, reading, technology…);
and
– career awareness skills (career
development, understanding all
aspects of the industry, reading about
the industry…)
Medical Knowledge (Animal Care)
To understand a few common medical
problems/complications, in order to
learn to monitor hospital patients. (Ex.
signs of low blood sugar in a diabetic
pet).
Workplace and Career Specific Skills
•
Identify skills that are specific to this
workplace or career area. The list of
skills to be included is flexible. You
may list up to seven skills or may
focus on just one or two skills.
Food Preparation:
Student will plan, prepare and serve
healthy and nutritious suppers to
children.
•
The list can include:
Project Management:
Create a display for the Visitor Center
–
specific task-oriented skills (weeding,
park maintenance, food preparation,
filing medical records…);
– broad skills (project management,
collecting and organizing information,
using math, reading, technology…);
and
– career awareness skills (career
development, understanding all
aspects of the industry, reading about
the industry…)
Medical Knowledge (Animal Care)
To understand a few common medical
problems/complications, in order to
learn to monitor hospital patients. (Ex.
signs of low blood sugar in a diabetic
pet).
Workplace and Career Specific Skills
• Wherever possible, mention the
goals of the work, the customer
served, or other information that
gives the “context” of the work.
• Like the job descriptions, the
descriptions of the skills and tasks
is strongest when they include
information about “who, what,
where and why.”
Animal Care:
Intern will reassure orphaned animals
thru petting, walking and talking to
them. This stimulus helps maintain
healthy animals.
Administrative Skills:
- Assist with organization of client
files, copying and faxing.
- Take initiative to answer phones and
direct calls appropriately.
- Provide walk-in clients with
appropriate travel brochures.
See additional real examples of WBLP skills and tasks at
http://www.skillslibrary.com/wbl/skillslist.asp
Performance Review and Goal Setting
• Provide the first
review early in the
workplace
experience to provide
feedback on these
skills and set goals.
• Provide the second
review near the end
of the experience.
• Use the Work-Based
Learning Plan as a
tool to open up
conversations early
in the work
experience in order
to avoid problems.
See suggestions for giving feedback and setting goals at
http://www.skillslibrary.com/wbl/goalscomments.asp
When writing goals and comments:
• Be brief and clear.
• Combine positive and corrective feedback.
• Focus on future actions and opportunities to learn and
improve.
When giving feedback verbally:
• Ask questions to help the participant think about
solutions.
• Briefly explain your workplace's expectations and point
out the reasons for these.
• Suggest simple strategies, using "I” statements or "you
might try" rather than "you should" or "you shouldn't."
• Describe ways that you or other co-workers or staff have
solved a similar problem or approached a similar situation.
What Makes a Great Summer Job?
Summer
Experience
Look at your answers to the warm-up exercise. What makes a
great summer job?
What Makes a Great Summer Job?
Interesting
challenges
(customers,
technology, etc.)
Sense of
accomplishment
Co-workers –
peers, adults, etc. .
Fun
“extras”
Formal and
informal
mentoring
conversations
Summer
Experience
Feeling like part of
a community.
Some of the elements of a great summer job…
Image of
the job
An awareness of
what you learned
and what you
accomplished
Getting a glimpse
of what you want
(or don’t want) in
the future
Building a
resume
For More Information
Massachusetts Department of Elementary
and Secondary Education
Connecting Activities Initiative:
Keith Westrich
Telephone: 781-338-3902
Email: kwestrich @doe.mass.edu
Web: http://www. doe.mass.edu/connect
Online WBLP Resources:
http:// skillslibrary.com/wbl.htm
New Website: Resources21.org
Technical Assistance:
Jennifer Leonard
781-321-7894
jleonard@ skillslibrary.com
or SkillsLibr@ aol.com
Online WBLP:
http:// masswbl.org
Downloadable Word Document:
http:// skillslibrary.com/ wbl.htm
Resources21.org is a clearinghouse for schools and organizations serving youth,
focusing on resources designed to: (1.) support student skill acquisition in education,
the workplace and the community; (2.)provide engaging contexts for teaching and
learning; and (3.) connect real world applications to promote 21st century skill
development.