Importance of Work
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Chapter 1 Making the Transition from School to Career
Terms
job
occupation
career
associate degree
bachelor degree
occupational trend
career clusters
career pathway
job shadowing
Objectives
After completing this section, you will be able to:
¶ Describe the reasons most people work.
¶ Explain how the career clusters can help you prepare for college and career
success.
Why Do People Work?
Have you ever wondered why people work? Most people might
say it is to earn money. It has to be much more than that. Chances are
you will spend more time working than doing any other activity in
your lifetime. If your primary goal in working is to earn money, there
is a good chance you will spend many hours doing something you
really do not want to do.
Work is very important in our lives. Often, one of the first things
people ask when introduced is “What do you do for a living?” Work
helps to define who we are. It also gives meaning to our lives. Work can
help you feel good about yourself and have a positive attitude about life.
It is a way to make lifelong friends. Work will help you continue to learn
and grow. Many of the things you learn at work will help you in your
personal life. For example, taking more responsibility at work may give
you the confidence to assume more responsibility at home.
Work can be either drudgery or a joy. Do you know people who
love work so much they say they will never retire? On the other hand,
how many people do you know who hate going to work each day and
cannot wait for the weekend? If you take time now to fully explore
your career options, you will be able to find something that pays you a
good wage. You will also be able to find something that you will love
to do and that you do well. It is a wonderful feeling to wake up each
morning and look forward to going to work.
Go Green
Aggressive driving, such as accelerating quickly, speed-
ing, and stomping on the brakes, can be very dangerous. It
can also reduce your gas mileage by as much as 5 percent
in town and 33 percent on the highway. Driving aggressively also increases
the wear and tear on vehicles. For example, brakes may need to be replaced
more often. This is not only more costly but adds more trash to landfills.