Overview 

Students use three college-approved career tools — Career Coach, Focus 2, and Vault — to explore a career of interest, gather labor market data, and identify one concrete next step. This lesson establishes the foundation for the GenAI exercises in Module 4 by grounding students in professional-grade research tools before they engage GenAI as a thinking partner.

Materials Needed

• Projector/screen for instructor demonstration
• Student devices with internet access and student email login
• Career Snapshot assignment handout (below) 
• Tools & Links: Students should access each one through the hyperlinks provided below. 

Career Coach	Labor market data	Student email
Focus 2	Career & interest assessments	Access Code: red hawk
Vault	Career & industry guides	Student email

Preparation 

Log in to Career Coach, Focus 2, and Vault in advance to confirm student access is working. Prepare a brief demo of how to search for a career in Career Coach using the Careers or Programs tab. Review the Career Snapshot assignment so you can answer student questions about the deliverable.

Lesson Sequence

Time	Activity	Description
0:00–0:05	Introduction and Framing	Instructor: Frame the purpose: “Today you’ll quickly explore a career option using professional tools colleges and employers expect you to use.” Remind students that career decisions are exploratory — there are no wrong starting points.  Students: Write down your response to this prompt: What career are you currently considering or curious about? This is your starting point for today.
0:05–0:15	Career Coach: Job Outlook Snapshot	Instructor: Briefly demo how to search for a career in Career Coach using the Careers or Programs tab. Point out salary, job growth, and education requirements.  Students: Look up one career in Career Coach and record: salary range, job outlook, required education. Written or chat reflection: Would you feel comfortable pursuing the education needed for this career?
0:15–0:25	Focus 2: Career Match Check	Instructor: Direct students to complete one Focus 2 assessment — either the interest or skills assessment.  Students: After completing the assessment, record: top 2 suggested careers and one reason each matches your interests or skills. Download your report for future reference. Reflection prompt: Do these results confirm or challenge your original career idea?
0:25–0:30	Vault: Real-World Check and Exit Ticket	Instructor: Show students where career guides are located in Vault. Frame this as a quick introduction — encourage students to return to Vault on their own time.  Students: Quickly read one Vault career overview. Download any relevant guides for future reading. Exit ticket: What is one thing you learned today that you didn’t know before?

The Assignment: Career Snapshot (distribute to students)

Purpose

This assignment helps you explore careers using college-approved tools and start thinking about realistic next steps for this semester. There are no right answers — the focus is on exploration and honest reflection.

Deliverable

A ½–1 page Career Snapshot covering the three sections below. You may use short paragraphs or bullet points. You can draw from your class notes or do additional research on your own.

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Section 1 — Career You Explored 

Name one specific career (for example: Medical Assistant, Cybersecurity Analyst, Early Childhood Educator) and briefly explain why you chose it. An interest, an assessment result, curiosity, or a recommendation all count as valid reasons.

Guiding questions:

• How did you discover this career?
• Was it suggested by Focus 2, or something you already had in mind?

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Section 2 — Salary and Education Level 

Using Career Coach and/or Vault, include:

• Typical salary range (local, state, or national — approximate ranges are fine)
• Required education or training level (certificate, associate degree, bachelor’s degree, etc.)

Example: This career typically earns between ___ and ___. Most employers require ____.

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Section 3 — One Next Step This Semester 

Identify one realistic action you could take this semester to learn more or move toward this career. Examples include:

• Meeting with an academic or career advisor
• Exploring a related major or program at the college
• Attending a career workshop or information session
• Researching internships, part-time jobs, or certifications
• Building a skill related to the career (technology, communication, or organization)

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GenAI Use — Optional and Allowed 

You may use GenAI tools to clarify career information, better understand salary or job outlook data, or generate reflection questions. If you use GenAI, review the output carefully and rewrite it in your own words. GenAI supports your thinking but does not replace it. For guided GenAI exercises that connect to this lesson, see the Student Activities section of Module 4.

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Facilitation Notes 

The tool demonstration is essential. Many students will not have used Career Coach, Focus 2, or Vault before. Keep the demo brief (2–3 minutes) and focused on navigation rather than content, so students have maximum time to explore independently. The 30-minute structure is tight; circulate during Career Coach and Focus 2 sections to keep students on pace. If students are stuck on what career to explore, encourage them to use Focus 2’s assessment results as their starting point rather than waiting until they have a clear answer.

Differentiation / Accessibility Suggestions 

Students who are undecided about their career direction should be explicitly reassured. The lesson is designed for explorers, not just students with a clear plan. For students who complete the activities quickly, encourage them to look up a second career for comparison. The Career Snapshot can be completed in class if time allows, or assigned as homework.