Employability Skills for We Need to Hire

Lesson Content

• Lesson Plan Template:

  CTE Lesson Plan

• CTE Course Info and Benchmark Notes

  
  

  Course Title: Orientation to Health Science Professions

  Course Number: 8400110

  Career Cluster: Health Science

  CIP Number: 03179999OR

  Course Type: Orientation/Exploratory

  CTE Standard(s) or Benchmark(s):

  • 02.02 List employability/soft skills and characteristics needed to be successful in the workplace. For Example: punctuality, dependability, and communication skills.
  • 02.03 Identify the characteristics of healthcare professionals.

• Unit Outline

  
  

  This lesson on employability skills is designed to be used with the case study, “We Need to Hire.” See CPALMS resource ID# 207939.

• Career Connection

  
  

  Students will discuss the importance of employability/soft skills within a healthcare setting. Students will evaluate their strengths/weaknesses regarding these skills.

• Learning Objectives

  
  

  Students will be able to:

  • Identify general employability skills/traits.
  • Determine the meaning of various employability skills/traits using reference materials such as the textbook or internet.
  • Explain and/or give examples of how each skill is important in healthcare.
  • Determine which employability skills/traits, if any, could vary depending on the career.
  • Evaluate personal strengths/weaknesses regarding the skills/traits.

• Prior Knowledge

  
  

  Students should be familiar with/able to:

  • the role of a receptionist.
  • reflect on/evaluate their own skills.
  • use a computer and/or print materials to research and define vocabulary.

• Guiding Questions

  
  
  • What traits and skills are needed to succeed in a professional environment?
  • Which traits/skills are universal, versus which are career-specific?
  • How are common employability traits/skills applicable to the healthcare field?

• Procedure

  
  
  1. To introduce the lesson, the teacher will summarize the case study plot (a pediatrician’s office that needs to hire a new staff member) and tell the students that they will discuss and explore what traits/skills the new employee will need.
     
     
  2. Pass out the Case Study “We Need to Hire” and the “Healthcare Career Position Descriptions Resource” to students. (Both files in CPALMS resource ID# 207939.)
     • Provide each student with a copy so they can take notes, highlight vocabulary, and/or underline important details as they read.
       
       
  3. After providing a few minutes for students to read the case study, pass out the CTE We Need to Hire Employability Skills Student Worksheet to each student.
     • Student groups/pairs can collaborate to answer the two warm-up questions.
       • First, student groups will identify job duties specific to a medical receptionist. Then they will brainstorm what general professional knowledge, traits, and/or skills would be needed for this career.
         
         
  4. The teacher should circulate to guide discussion as students are working on the Warm-Up questions. Possible questions to guide discussion include:
     • What are the responsibilities of a medical receptionist?
     • What traits and skills are needed to succeed in a professional environment?
     • What knowledge will the person need to do this job? What do they need to know?
     • What skills will the person need to do this job? Think about the job duties this person will be responsible for.
     • What personal characteristics will the person need to do this job? What kind of personality will make this person a good fit for this job? What habits would make them more successful?
       
       
  5. Student groups will share their ideas with the class and the teacher will record all brainstormed traits on the board.
     
     • The teacher should add to the list, as needed, to include the following general employability traits: communication skills, competence, punctuality, responsibility/dependability, discretion, self-motivation, tact, empathy, acceptance of criticism, enthusiasm, willingness to learn, etc.
     • Students will probably include career-specific knowledge and skills in their brainstormed lists, such as knowledge of insurance procedures, how to complete medical history paperwork, HIPAA and privacy rules/laws, and phone skills.
       
       
  6. Then, student groups will use their medical textbook and/or internet to define each trait/skill and discuss why each is important in the healthcare field.
     • Specific employability skills (listed below) can be assigned or student groups can choose words from the class list to work with.
       • Sample Employability Skills/Traits Vocabulary List: competence, tact, discretion, empathy, enthusiasm, self-motivation, teamwork, acceptance of criticism, dependability/responsibility, & willingness to learn
     • Students have enough space to define 10 traits/skills on the chart on the Employability Skills Worksheet.
       
       
  7. Lead a follow-up group discussion. Ask students to:
     • Share their definitions and explanations of why each trait is important in healthcare.
     • Discuss what effect (if any) hiring for a different position (ex. RN or pediatrician) might have on the traits/skills needed by the employee.
       
       
  8. To bring the lesson to a close, have students reflect on their strengths and weaknesses regarding both the universal traits and the career-specific traits discussed in this lesson by answering the self-reflection questions at the bottom of the student worksheet.

• Teacher Notes

  
  
  • This lesson is designed for students to work in groups of 2-4.
  • Option: Each group/pair of students could be responsible for one trait and report to the class. This would give more time for discussion.

• Optional

  
  

  Formative Assessment Ideas:

  • Informally assess student progress towards the learning goals as the teacher circulates to assist/guide student discussion.

  Accommodation Suggestions:

  • The teacher could provide textbook page numbers to students to shorten the amount of independent work required.

  Extension Ideas:

  • Students can set a personal goal to improve one of their skills.
  • The teacher can set up follow up activities to explore each skill. For example, review “growth mindset” as part of willingness to learn.