Unit 4 Project

Unit 4 Project: Exploring a Career

 

 

How many times have you heard “What are you going to do after high school?” Maybe you can answer this question, maybe you have no idea, or maybe your answer to this question is constantly changing. Why do people ask the question in the first place?

 

Maybe the people who ask this question are trying to determine if you are planning ahead for your life after high school. Maybe they are trying to figure out if you are taking the right courses for the career you are interested in. Perhaps they are just showing their interest in you. Whatever the reason, it is an important question for you to consider.

 

In the Unit 4 Project you will explore a career in which you are interested. You will explore the financial, educational, and everyday aspects of the career. You will interview someone who currently works in the career you are investigating. You should keep a list of interview questions that come to mind as you work through Unit 4.

 

In Unit 4 you will learn about different methods of earning income. In the job you have chosen, would you be paid by the hour or would you be paid a salary? Are there raises and, if so, how often? Would you make more money pursuing this job in another province or country?

 

Regardless of the career you choose, you will probably find that your paycheque is never as big as you want it to be. Money is deducted for various reasons. You will explore these deductions that reduce your take-home pay.

 

As you move through the lessons, you will find that there are tools on the Internet to help you answer many questions. The ability to find and use these tools is an important skill to have when you leave school.

 

So, how will you complete the Unit 4 Project? Follow these steps.

 

Step 1: Select a career or job in which you are interested.

 

Step 2: Identify a family member, a person in your community, or someone your teacher helps you identify who works in that job or career. Come up with a list of questions to ask this person about the job or career. Meet with the person by phone, in person, or in another way to ask your questions.

 

The following are examples of questions you may have:

• What are the main tasks of the job or career?

• How is a person paid? Is the pay by salary, hourly wages, commissions, tips or gratuities, bonuses, or something else?

• What can a person entering the job expect to be paid?

• What are the possibilities for advancement and raises in pay?

• What deductions are there that must be taken into account in determining your take-home pay?

Step 3: Research this career or job on the Internet to add to the information you obtained through your interview.

 

Step 4: You will show how the following deductions are arrived at based on an entry-level wage or salary. Use the Canada Revenue Payroll Deductions Online Calculator to determine the following amounts based on the entry-level wage or salary:

• Income Tax

• Canada Pension Plan (CPP)

• Employment Insurance (EI)

Remember that the Online Payroll Deductions Calculator may be found by entering the following terms into an Internet search engine: CRA Payroll Deductions Online Calculator. If you need help locating the calculator, ask your teacher.

 

Step 5: Summarize your results in a final presentation to be shared and compiled with the research of your classmates. The presentation may take any form you choose as long as all the required components are included. Confirm your presentation method with your teacher.

 

This project should take approximately six hours to complete.

 

Project Evaluation

 

Your work will be evaluated on the following components:

• presentation effectiveness

• summary of findings (thoroughness and accuracy)

• calculations (appropriate choice and use of the Internet applications or calculations by hand)

Use the following checklist to ensure you have completed all the requirements of this project.

 

Completed Y/N	Project Requirements
	Have you selected an occupation or career to explore?
	Have you contacted a person in this occupation or career to interview?
	Have you prepared a list of questions to ask during the interview?
	Have you researched this occupation or job on the Internet?
	Have you listed the educational requirements?
	Have you summarized the daily tasks involved in carrying out this job?
	Have you researched the entry-level wages or salary and how wages or salary are determined?
	Have you determined the basic deductions from your earnings in order to predict what your take-home pay would be? Have you included a summary of these deductions in your final report?
	Have you created your final presentation outlining what you did and learned at each stage of this project?

 

Your project will be evaluated based on the following scheme. There are 15 marks possible.

 

Score	Project Requirements	Interview Questions	Independent Research	Mathematical Calculations for Deductions and Take-home Pay	Communication: Final Presentation
3 Acceptable Standard	All project requirements have been addressed.	The questions are clear and the responses are included in the final presentation.	There is evidence of independent research at each stage of the project.	All required mathematical representations are completed and correct.	The presentation is complete and communicated clearly.
2 Contains Minor Omissions or Errors	One of the project requirements has not been addressed.	The interview questions or interviewee’s responses are not clear or miss an important aspect of the career under investigation.	Independent research lacks a required element. For example, there has been no attempt at addressing job training or educational requirements.	All required mathematical representations are completed, but with minor errors.	Progress has been made to communicate, but some clarification would be appropriate.
1 Below the Acceptable Standard	Two of the project requirements have not been addressed.	The interview questions are included in the report, but the interviewee’s responses are not included.	There is only partial evidence of independent research.	There is an initial attempt at using required mathematical representations with major errors or omissions.	There is some communication about engagement in the project.
0 Does Not Meet the Minimum Standard	Three of the project requirements have not been addressed.	The interview questions have not been included in the final report.	There is no evidence of independent research.	There is no attempt to use mathematical representations.	There is little or no communication about engagement in the project.
Total Score/15	/3	/3	/3	/3	/3

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