CareerX Student Handbook

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CAREERX@AISC

KICKSTART YOUR CAREER JOURNEY NOW

Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.

JOHN DEWEY

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Pg. Section

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What is CareerX?

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Lifecycle of a Career Experience

5 Skills & Attitude Explorations

11 Frequently Asked Questions

Do I Know Which 8 How Placement is Right for Me?

13 Testimonials

Student 9 CareerX Expectations

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CareerX Handbook

CONTENTS 3

WHAT IS CAREERX? CareerX places high schoolers like you in a professional work environment.

The “X” represents the explorations and experiences in these areas

Personal Skills Practice

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Professional Skills & Attitudes

Ethical Awareness

PERSONAL SKILLS PRACTICE You will practice essential self-learning skills you've been learning at AISC by applying it to a work context

Show flexibility by considering new ideas. Persevere to complete your responsibilities. Pay attention to details.

SUCCESS IN THINKING Be open to feedback and show a growth mindset by being coachable and asking questions for your own understanding.

PN

Skills & Attitude Explorations

SUCCESS IN DOING

SELF-MANAGEMENT Just like in a school space, you will learn how to manage your time, how to be responsible in sharing spaces and responsibilities, and how to navigate interpersonally. You must show up.

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PROFESSIONAL SKILL-BUILDING During this CareerX , you will be an experiential learner on professional skills and attitudes. You will build awareness and then competency in a work setting. You'll learn the details about the place where you are, the roles within it, as well as the ways to act and interact with others successfully.

Learn what is expected of you and communicate your questions and wonderings.

Determine how you will receive feedback and time to check-in with your supervisor.

GET INFORMED ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION Familiarize yourself with your THE organization. Learn the organizational PLACE rules, policies, and expectations.

Study the organization’s website.

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Familarize yourself with the communication THE expectations in person, in email, and in PEOPLE reports. Familiarize yourself with the professional look of your workspace.

PN

When given advice, try it out. Seek opportunities to talk to others and to see projects or places.

COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY

Skills & Attitude Explorations

TAKE INITIATIVE

ETHICAL AWARENESS

INTERCULTURAL COMPETENCE: AWARENESS Commonalities and differences in the values, expectations, beliefs and practices in the workplace

INTERPERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY PN

Skills & Attitude Explorations

During this CareerX, you may have opportunities to build awareness of the ethical considerations within every workplace. You'll build awareness of intercultural competence and effective collaborative relationships.

Depending upon your placement, you also might build awareness of social and environmental challenges as well as the implications of global goals in a local context.

Awareness of moral and ethical obligations as a member of a professional organization, as a collaborator and as a subordinate.

ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBLITY Awareness of individual sustainable practice in the workplace, as well as the organization's responsibilities within a regional, national and global context

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MAIA LEARNING INTEREST AND PASSION INVENTORIES

EXPLORE CAREERX STUDENT TESTIMONIES

CREW LESSONS ON SELF-UNDERSTANDING AND RISK-TAKING

CAREERX DESCRIPTIONS

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CAREER CONVERSATIONS PRESENTATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS

The following pages provide pathways to ensure successful experiences for students and partners alike.

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HOW DO I KNOW WHICH PLACEMENT IS RIGHT FOR ME?

CAREER CONVERSATIONS PRE- AND POSTREFLECTIONS

CAREERX STUDENT EXPECTATIONS

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KEEP COMMITMENTS Participate in our AISC meetings and feedback gathering before and after your experience.

Communicate as soon as you anticipate challenges or problems.

Show up for all scheduled meetings and time on task

02 REPRESENT AISC Follow all Student Handbook rules and expectations Be aware of your role as a representative of our school.

Stay off your phone and social media, just like you would in class

03 SELF REFLECT We'll offer you multiple ways to consider what you know and want to know before your experience.

We'll offer you multiple ways to reflect on what you learned and what you still want to learn after your experience 9

LIFECYCLE OF A CAREER EXPERIENCE You apply, sharing which option and why.

You meet with partner supervisor and learn more about them.

You collaborate, investigate, create and learn.

Applications

Partner Connect

Experience

Opportunities Professional partner list shared, with skills and opportunities for the experience explained.

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Skill Connect You meet with AISC and learn more on the specific objectives.

Student work and feedback is highlighted on social media and internal communications.

Social Media Round-up

Agreements

Reflect

You and your parents sign the offer letter, committing to the experience.

You reflect on your learnings and your experience.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS CAREERX BOOKLET

Why should I consider a CareerX placement?

Work experience in a field you are interested in is a great way to get insights about a future career and understand the various options within a chosen field. The connections you make during your CareerX may even yield opportunities for you in the future. It is also a great way for you to use the knowledge and skills you have gained in your high school courses in a real-world context.

PN

When are CareerX placements available to me?

AISC places students during school holiday times. Currently, week-long placements are available during the fall and spring breaks.

Longer placements are possible during the winter and summer breaks.

Which adults will I work with during my CareerX? You will have a primary contact both at AISC and at your workplace.

At AISC, Ms. Gautami, Ms. Sherene, and/or Ms. Archana will meet with you to discuss your interests and strengths and will help to set up a suitable placement. AISC uses its database of partner organizations for CareerX placements, and we are always adding to it.

Students are placed based on interest and qualification.

At work, you will have a supervisor that you report to. This will be the person that assigns tasks to you and will make sure that you are given an orientation to the company, introduce you to other staff members, etc. If ever you have questions about your workplace or assignment expectations, this is the first person you should ask.

Please note, parents will not be communicating with CareerX partner supervisors. Any parent concerns should be directed to the AISC contact that has been assigned. One of the most valuable opportunities we are giving to students is teaching them how to navigate the workplace culture. The AISC primary contact is always available to help students navigate any issues that come up.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS CONTD.

But what if I don’t know what I am interested in?

You are not alone! Many students are uncertain of their career interests. Get advice from the trusted adults around you such as your counselors, teachers, and parents. And remember, CareerX is an opportunity to discover whether a career path does hold interest. So view this as an opportunity to explore and learn!

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How can I make the most out of my CareerX placement?

Seek out experiences and connections with full-time staff members at the company. This is a great way to learn more about the organization and to make a good impression. Keep in mind that carrying out tasks with enthusiasm signals to an employer that you are invested in the experience and can be trusted with more responsibility.

PN

What kinds of things do AISC students do during their CareerX placements?

This will vary from organization to organization. Ideally, a work assignment will provide a student with a variety of tasks to complete while still meeting the needs of the organization. Generally, there is a culminating deliverable that the student is responsible for. Here are some tasks that a student might be asked to do: Design posters, charts, graphs Perform laboratory tests Conduct surveys/studies Develop slide/sound presentations Conduct research Work on a marketing plan for a product or service

CAREERX BOOKLET

What salary can I expect?

All AISC CareerX placements are unpaid.

“The students were able to gain a new perspective on mental health; they planned to discuss and disseminate the information to their peers and community at large. They displayed good research skills and insightful sharing during discussions, and the ability to reflect application in the field from a lens of prevention to intervention across public health settings—including rural centers.”

Dr. Lakshmi Sankaran & Ms. Madhuri Menon (The Banyan)

“The awareness presentation created has helped us raise significant funds for our foundation. She is exceptionally talented and very committed with deep empathy for those suffering from kidney disease. Her wonderful awareness video is greatly appreciated by all at TANKER.” Ms. Latha Kumaraswami, Managing Trustee (TANKER Foundation)

PARTNER TESTIMONIALS “Your student was wonderful to work with!

She had done basic research on our website before we spoke for the first time and that demonstrated her Interest and initiative. In the short span of time she spent with us, she contributed meaningfully to our work.”

Ranjani Shanker, Marketing & Business Development (The Quad Fitness Center)

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"At Shilpa Architect, my group had to come up with ideas for sustainable architecture and present designs for a park. I developed collaborative skills over the week and explored the more technical features of sustainable architecture. I have interest in architecture as a possible course to pursue in college, so this experience exposed me to different parts of the field and gave me a more in-depth idea of what it could entail. And, my supervisor guided me to a better understanding of architecture and helped clarify my questions.”

AISC Student, Grade 10

My key project was to create something related to mental health. I chose to focus on education of mental health, mental health within India, the work The Banyan does, and ways to improve your own mental health. I learned a lot about the stigma that exists in India, specifically. I also learned about the misconceptions of mental health that is being taught in schools.

AISC Student, Grade 10 14

STUDENT TESTIMONIALS

“My first internship with The Quad was very nice. I learned about what The Quad does, what it wants, and how it markets its offerings toward fitness consumers. I especially enjoyed organizing all the data from market surveys.”

AISC Student, Grade 11

OUR PARTNERS

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WRITE TO US

advancement@aischennai.org Use #AISCCareerX on our official social media channels to see CareerX in action.