For Students in Cooperative Education Mr. J.Burnworth Your Work Experience Portfolio

Navigating this Lesson After reading each slide, click on it to go to the next slide. Some slides contain URLs to websites that you will find helpful as you are developing your portfolio. Just click on the URL and the website will appear. When finished with the website cancel it to return to the lesson. At the end of the lesson, you will have a true and false test to take to see how well you understood the lesson.

Introduction Work experience portfolios are an integral part of what you need to have as you seek employment. Professional looking portfolios will increase your opportunity of obtaining a job. This lesson will focus on explaining how to develop your work experience portfolio. The various sections needed to complete your portfolio will be covered.

Objectives of this Presentation Through being actively involved in this presentation, cooperative education students will: Be able to explain why they are required to develop a Work Experience Portfolio. List the required and optional sections of a portfolio. Create a Work Experience Portfolio.

Work Experience Portfolio What is it? The work experience portfolio is a gathering of important data related to your education and work experience. Each individual portfolio is unique and provides the reader with a wide variety of personal and professional information. Each of you will be active in the planning and development of your portfolio. You can obtain help from any of your teachers, advisors, guidance counselor, co-op coordinator, peers, parents, employer, etc. Creativity, neatness and thoroughness play a big role in the quality of the portfolio.

Why Am I Doing This? Your work experience portfolio will be beneficial not only to you personally, but more importantly to future employers. Your portfolio can be shared with employers at interviews, college entrance personnel and can be saved as a personal memento of your education and experiences. Ok, so what needs to be in this portfolio?

Required Sections (Must Complete All) Cover Page/Letter to Reader: Cover Page will include student’s name, a senior picture and the words “WORK EXPERIENCE PORTFOLIO”. Letter to Reader will include the company’s name, supervisor’s name, student’s job title, dates of employment, and other bits of information the student would like to provide. An example of a letter to the reader is on the next two slides.

Letter to the Reader Example LETTER TO READER: Hello, my name is (your name). I am a (2009, etc.) graduate of (your school’s name). I received work experience through the Cooperative Education program at Keystone Central School District’s Career and Technology Center. During the 2008-2009 school year, I was fortunate enough to acquire skills and experience at (your employer’s business name) through this Cooperative Education program. This employer specializes in ______________. During my experience, I acquired skills, such as, ________________.

Letter to Reader (continued) This portfolio details documentation of these skills as well as additional work while attending school in Keystone Central School District. Thank you for taking the time to glance through my portfolio. Sincerely, Student name Class of 2009 (Your school’s name)

Required Sections (continued) Narrative: Include a one page narrative on why, how and when you became interested in the career path you have chosen. This may include information from your childhood that shows how you became interested in your career chose. Check out the CMHS Cooperative Education Blog for additional information on writing your narrative: http://cmhsco-op.blogspot.com/

Required Sections (continued) Time Sheets: will include all of your bi-weekly time sheets with thorough descriptions of your daily job tasks. One sheet per two weeks. Make sure your employer signs each time sheet before it is turned in. An example is on the next slide.

Time Sheet (partial example) Student Signature _________________________ Employer Signature _________________________

Required Sections (continued) Job Responsibility List: will include a list of all your job duties performed during the co-op placement. Meet with your employer to discuss your responsibilities. You can also meet with your cooperative education coordinator for additional ideas.

Required Sections (continued) Journal: will include your personal thoughts on co-op, education, place of employment, job duties (what you liked or didn’t like), professional relationships with staff, employer, supervisor, etc. One to two pages, double spaced.

Required Sections (continued) Employer/Co-Op Coordinator Evaluations: Simply insert your marking period evaluations from your employer and/or Co-Op coordinator. You’ll want to do your best at work. The employers are very honest. Resume: complete an up-to-date resume with new references and your job experiences. You should save this on a disk for future updating. Click on this site for good information on writing resumes. http://www.paworkstats.state.pa.us/carguide/CG_07-08_Part_3.pdf

Required Sections (continued) Diversified Photos: A minimum of twelve photos (you can have more) of your work area, projects at work, performing a task, etc. The photos may include coworkers you work with, customers, job sites, supervisors, etc.

Required Sections (continued) Thank you letter: to your employer for the co-op experience. Table of Contents: identify all sections (including your chosen optional ones) by listing them on one sheet. The table of contents should be placed after your “Letter to the Reader.”

Optional Sections (Must complete three of the twelve) Career Awareness Interviews: interview individuals in your career pathway area on workplace skills education requirements, job responsibilities, etc. Include places and names of employers; double-spaced. 2. Research in your chosen career pathway: includes reports written, journal articles, internet searches Example of internet site: http://www.onetonline.com 3. Report cards/GPA standing

Optional Sections (Must pick three of the twelve) 4. Honors/Awards/Certificates/CTE or Academic Accomplishments: 5. Letters of Recommendation: simply get two letters of recommendation from previous employers, teachers, club advisors, ministers, etc 6. Documented extra curricular activities/Volunteer work/Community service work: examples: 4H, Boy/Girl Scouts, EMS Service, etc.

Optional Sections (Must pick three of the twelve) 7. High School Class Projects: explain in detail the project and your role in the project; double-spaced, (photos, if desired). 8. Copies of applications for post-secondary education, military and/or scholarships: do not include personal data, such as, finances, etc. 9. Copies of essay contests you have attempted, etc:

Optional Sections (Must pick three of the twelve) 10. Copies of PSSA test results, SAT’s, ACT’s, ASVAB, etc. 11. List of competencies you’ve been taught from High School subjects you feel will benefit you in your chosen career pathway: ask your teachers for guidance on obtaining these competencies. 12. Copy of your Graduation Project reflection paper.

We are going to take a short quiz to see if you are ready to develop your portfolio. After you read each question, click on either TRUE or FALSE. After you read the answer, click on the NEXT QUESTION or FINISHED phrase. Relax and have fun with this. Ok, Let's see what you remember.

TRUE FALSE Question 1 A Work Experience Portfolio is a gathering of important data related to your education and work experience.

TRUE FALSE Question 2 This Work Experience Portfolio assignment will help me create a professional looking portfolio that can be shared with future employers, college admissions officers or others.

TRUE FALSE Question 3 The Narrative is a one page paper just describing my childhood.

TRUE FALSE Question 4 All of my co-op job evaluations are placed in my Work Experience Portfolio.

TRUE FALSE Question 5 For your Work Experience Portfolio, you must complete five of the optional sections.

The Work Experience Portfolio will show a potential employer your background of work experiences and education. NEXT QUESTION Correct!

The Work Experience Portfolio will show a potential employer your background of work experiences and education. NEXT QUESTION OOPS!

Your work experience portfolio will be beneficial not only to you personally, but more importantly to future employers. Your portfolio can be shared with employers at interviews, college entrance personnel and can be saved as a personal memento of your education and experiences. NEXT QUESTION Correct!

Your work experience portfolio will be beneficial not only to you personally, but more importantly to future employers. Your portfolio can be shared with employers at interviews, college entrance personnel and can be saved as a personal memento of your education and experiences. NEXT QUESTION OOPS!

The one page narrative will explain why, how and when you became interested in the career path you have chosen. This may include information from your childhood that shows how you became interested in your career chose. NEXT QUESTION OOPS!

The one page narrative will explain why, how and when you became interested in the career path you have chosen. This may include information from your childhood that shows how you became interested in your career chose. NEXT QUESTION Correct!

Simply insert your marking period evaluations from your employer and/or Co-Op coordinator. You’ll want to do your best at work. The employers are very honest. NEXT QUESTION CORRECT!

Simply insert your marking period evaluations from your employer and/or Co-Op coordinator. You’ll want to do your best at work. The employers are very honest. NEXT QUESTION OOPS!

For your Work Experience Portfolio, you only have to complete three of the twelve optional sections. You can choose any three you would like to complete. Finished! OOPS!

For your Work Experience Portfolio, you only have to complete three of the twelve optional sections. You can choose any three you would like to complete. FINISHED CORRECT!

If you correctly answered four out of five questions, you’re ready to start your portfolio. If you correctly answered three or less questions, you may want to go back through the slide presentation again to insure that you create a great looking portfolio. Have fun with this project! How'd you do?