Our Career Exploration class joined the Bellevue College Key Note Speaker Merisa Heu-Weller, Microsoft Senior Director on Wednesday, May 26th in the afternoon for a casual conversation about the future of work. This was a spotlight event that highlighted Weller talking about how quick high-tech, community variations plagued rewriting the workforce, what to do with AI (artificial technology), social justice issues, and formulating for jobs that don’t even exist. The conversation also included how rapid technological and social changes are reshaping the workforce, and the shifting role of higher education.
In Career Exploration, students prepare for job searching and seek out information that interests their career paths. They also identify their strengths, values and interests. By the end of this course, students determine two or three career options that match those strengths, values and interests. To get there, students complete assessments to help determine a broad range of vocational interests that match up with their skills and values.
What students accomplish with this course will set up the next steps in defining their career pathway. This event was a perfect opportunity to ask question to a profession in the work force about how the students should best go about their exploratory job search. During this meeting our students showcased some incredible questions about how people with disabilities should talk to future prospects, what kinds of questions should people with disabilities ask future employers, and best methods for people with disabilities to connect with career options.
Our students took away some valuable information. Here is what a few students said what they gained from the discussion:
“I discovered those skills for your gifts are useful in jobs, but it also takes time to get to where you want to be for aspiration jobs. It also means that dreams jobs do not happen right away, and it’s like climbing the community ladder to get to the job with jobs you try out to develop those skills and to get better at the flaws.” -Allison
“I learned that you might not get your dream job, and your dream job might change.” -Matthew
“I learned that your dream job might not appear until later, but in the meantime, you are going to find out what is your strength, and you might find something that you don’t know about yourself.” -Zana
“I learned those skills for your strengths are valuable in jobs, but it also takes time to get to where you want to be for dream jobs. It also means that dreams jobs do not happen right away, and it’s like climbing the corporate ladder to get to the job. With jobs you try out to build those skills and to get better at the weaknesses.” -Panida
“One thing that stood up to me from this activity when she was explaining about dream jobs. It’s not going to magically appear, it will need a lot of time to look or find your dream job. You have to work hard to achieve your goals in finding any career you want. That’s what I am going to take into consideration with this class …even though I already have a career in mind like computers, still it doesn’t hurt to explore and learn more about other occupations.” -Nadine
When the students were asked how does this relate to the OLS Program, here are a few anonymous responses:
“This activity relates to the entire OLS Program because it improves me to see more viewpoints of jobs that these visitor speakers had, their loves and hates, and what they did to get to where they are at with their jobs.”
“It relates to this program because it’s like a step by step thing to find careers, first you have to go to college and get a degree. Same with OLS, if you want to be able to be successful and get an occupation of your choice, going to OLS helps you find your path and career of your choice by breaking it down. You start with a big list, then narrow things down until you have a choice…”
Overall this community conversation was a big hit! Students were reminded that they are all capable of reaching individual career goals, and prompted to used the resources like the Center for Career Connects that Bellevue College provides.
I’d like to close with another comment by Nadine who also said, “She (Merisa Hue-Weller) explained briefly about jobs and networks. It’s really amazing to hear someone talk about it. It’s also a good tool to learn from someone else instead of your instructor. You can take these ideas and incorporate them in this class and gain something new. It would help you be a successful student in college and to be able to get a job or a career.”
Career Exploration is one of the many courses OLS Bellevue College students take to obtain their associate degree from OLS. More information about our curriculum is available on our website. To learn more about our program register for an upcoming Information Session.
Last Updated June 3, 2021