Careers In Computing and Information Technology Lesson Plan

This careers in computing lesson plan (to be completed in 45 to 60 minutes) was designed for use in middle school and high school classrooms. When coupled with the It's All About Me poster, it has the following goals:

• To inform any student regardless of gender what information technology is and how it relates to a variety of different fields.
• To encourage students to look beyond the media stereotypes of a computer "programmer" and understand that technology jobs exist which will appeal to people with a wide variety of interests and skills.
• To foster curiosity in students about information technology and the careers that are related to IT.

Download the lesson plan here.

Computing Brochure for Middle School Students



CSTA has created a new brochure for middle school students and their parents that provides key information about opportunities in computing. The Imagine Your Future in Computing brochure helps students make connections between the technologies they use every day and the courses and the career opportunities available to them. The brochure is available in both English-language and Spanish-language versions.

Download the English-language brochure here.
Download the Spanish-language brochure here.

Computing Careers Poster



This engaging poster, developed in cooperation with CSTA, ACM-W, ASCA invites students (especially young women) to consider a career in the computing disciplines and makes connections between popular professions and computer science.
Download the poster here

Computing Careers and Degrees Brochure & Website



ACM has a new website and brochure for high school and college students that provide key information about opportunities in computing. The website includes information on educational pathways, job opportunities, and skills matching for a wide variety of computing careers. It also includes a downloadable student brochure.
Visit the website here.
Download the brochure here.

New ACM Careers Site for Graduating Students

ACM has gathered an extensive list of online career resources on a new site called Online Resources for Graduating Students. Created in response to requests from students who will be entering the workplace in the near future, the site is also a valuable resource for any member at any stage in their education or career. The site includes eight sections, each linking to a host of resources available on the web. The sections are:

• ACM Career Resources
• Selected Career Websites
• Computing/IT-Oriented Career Websites
• Resumes, Cover Letters, and Interview Tips
• Online Professional Networking
• Salary Survey Sites
• Career-Related Blogs
• Other Career/Job Search Advice Articles

This site puts a host of useful resources right at your students' fingertips!

Gotta Have IT

Gotta Have IT is an all-in-one computing resource kit designed with educators' needs in mind that was created by the National Center for Women & Information Technology
K-12 Alliance. Gotta Have IT is a select set of high-quality posters, computing and careers information, digital media and more. The resource kit builds awareness and inspires interest in computing. For information on these resources, visit the Gotta Have IT webpage.

The ACM Career Resource Center (CRC)

Visit ACM's Career Resource Centre (CRC), oriented for computing and IT students and professionals.
The CRC consists of the following sections:

• Articles and Columns
• Community
• Job Center
• Self-assessment Tools

Why Study Computing

This presentation is geared for a high school audience, attempting to explain why students ought to consider computing as a major in college and for a career after college. I have included the most recent data available about the strong job market in computing, the solid salary position enjoyed by computing professionals, the job satisfaction from working in computing, and a variety of general career categories. I have followed this with my advice to students about what it takes to succeed in any technical career, especially a computing major, how to prepare for applying knowledge in computing in a discipline of one's choice, and some details about the USC programs in computing and some of our outstanding recent students.

You Can Be Anything Careers Resources

CWIT's "You Can Be Anything" video uses the power of media to give young people, particularly girls and young women, a very positive impression of the career opportunities available in information technology (IT) and science-related fields where technology plays a major role. This short, fast-paced, high-quality video uses the techniques of music videos to portray a wide variety of women, both past and present, using technology in a variety of fields. Of course, no short video, no matter how skillfully conceived and executed, is likely by itself to persuade young women to prepare for a high-tech career. The video may be used together with a speaker from a speaker’s bureau or with a teacher or school counselor as part of their career exploration program for middle and/or high school students. For teachers or counselors there is a lesson plan, a student worksheet, and presentation materials, plus guidelines on how to use the materials and an actual video demonstration to highlight the lesson plan in action.

Software Globalization and Employment

This Powerpoint presentation by eminent Stanford computer science scholar Eric Roberts looks at software globalization and offshoring and provides a surprisingly positive outlook on employment opportunities in this field. Using data from the recent ACM report, Roberts debunks current myths about the industry and sets the facts straight.

Sloan Career Cornerstone Center

The Sloan Career Cornerstone Center is a non-profit resource center for teachers assisting students who are exploring career paths in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and computing - complete with PDFs, PowerPoint presentations, and a free monthly newsletter.
www.careercornerstone.org

Computer Science & Engineering Career Videos

Why do undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty choose computer science & engineering as their field? What takes place during a day in the life of a CSE bachelors alum working in the software or Internet industry? Two videos from University of Washington Computer Science & Engineering address these questions. These videos provide useful information of what CSE holds in store for your students.