The Importance of Work

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CHAPTER 1

• The Importance of Work

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Objectives

• After studying this chapter, you will be able to

• distinguish the difference between a job and a
  career.
• identify three reasons why people work.
• explain how work influences identity and
  lifestyle.
• describe ways in which work provides
  satisfaction.
• discuss how work keeps the economy strong.
• identify the workplace competencies.

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Words to Know

• work
• job
• career
• career ladder
• income
• needs
• wants

• identity
• lifestyle
• self-esteem
• economy
• workplace competencies
• competent
• transferable skills

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What Is Work?

• Work An activity done to produce or accomplish
  something.

• Can you give examples of work teenagers may
  perform?

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A Job or a Career?

• Job The work a person does to earn money.
• Career A series of jobs, usually in the same or
  related fields.

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In Your Opinion

• Is delivering newspapers a job or a career?
• Why?

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A Job or a Career

• Career ladder An illustration that shows a
  sequence of work in a career field, from entry to
  advanced levels.

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Career Ladder for a Health Career

• Advanced degree
• Bachelors degree
• Assoc./B.S. degree
• High school diploma
• Entry level

• Nursing instructor
• Nurse practitioner
• Nurse
• Nurse assistant
• Home health aide

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Did You Know?

• The U.S. Department of Education classifies
  hundreds of job titles into 16 major groups or
  career clusters.

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Think About It

• How can volunteer work help students decide what
  career may be best for them?

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A Job or a Career

• People work for many reasons.

• How many reasons can you name?

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Work Provides Income

• Income The amount of money a person receives
  for doing a job.
• Needs The basics a person must have in order
  to live.
• Wants The items a person would like to have,
  but are not required.

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Think About It

• Imagine you have just graduated from high school.
  You will begin working as a bank teller in a town
  15 miles away.
• What would be on your list of wants? needs?

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Work Influences Identity

• Identity The sum of traits that distinguishes a
  person as an individual.
• There are two parts to your identity
• how you see yourself
• how others see you

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Think About It

• Your job is a part of your identity.

• Give an example of a job. How might it form a
  persons identity?

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Work Influences Lifestyle

• Lifestyle A persons typical way of life.

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Think About It

• How does a job or career affect a persons
  lifestyle?
• How does a persons income affect lifestyle?

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Work Provides Satisfaction

• An important outcome of work is a feeling of
  satisfaction or accomplishment, which adds to
  your self-esteem.
• Self-esteem The confidence a person has in
  himself or herself.

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Work Keeps the Economy Strong

• Economy The way goods and services are
  produced, distributed, and consumed in a society.

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Work Keeps the Economy Strong

• When people are spending money on goods and
  services, the economy is considered strong.
• When people are unemployed and not spending
  money, the economy is considered weak.

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A Balanced Economy
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Work Requires Know-How

• Workplace know-how Skills and abilities needed
  by todays workers.
• This involves
• workplace competencies
• foundation skills and qualities

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Workers Need a Foundation

• A good foundation includes
• basic skills
• thinking skills
• important personal qualities

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Workers Need a Foundation

• Basic skills Reading, writing, arithmetic,
  mathematics, speaking, and listening.
• Thinking skills Making decisions, solving
  problems, visualizing ideas, knowing how to
  learn, and reasoning.
• Personal qualities Responsibility, self-esteem,
  social skills, self-management, and integrity.

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Workers Need Workplace Competencies

• Workplace competencies Skills needed for
  workplace effectiveness and success.

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Workers Need Workplace Competencies

• Resources Using time, materials, space, money,
  and human resources.

• Interpersonal skills Working with people.

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Workers Need Workplace Competencies

• Information Gathering, analyzing, and using
  information.
• Systems Understanding, designing, or improving
  organizational or technological systems.
• Technology Selecting the proper tools, applying
  technology to tasks, and maintaining technologies.

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Workers Need Workplace Competencies

• Competent Having the ability to respond
  appropriately.
• Competent workers possess workplace competencies
  plus foundation skills and qualities.

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Workplace Competencies Are Transferable Skills

• Transferable Skills Skills used in one career
  that can be used in another.
• Example Instructors use teaching skills to
  inform their students. Sales managers use similar
  skills to inform their salespeople.

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Think About It

• Select an occupation that interests you.
• Make a list of skills used in the occupation.
• Make a list of other occupations in which these
  same skills can be used.

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Chapter 1 In the Know

• Work
• provides income.
• influences your identity.
• impacts your lifestyle.
• provides satisfaction.
• keeps the economy strong.
• requires workplace know-how.

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Chapter 1 Think More About It

• What courses are you taking in school that will
  help you develop the following?
• foundation skills
• important personal qualities
• competence in the workplace