Career Discovery Projects are free, multi-week, instructional activities that teachers can use to engage students in deep, meaningful project-based learning.
Nearly 80% of students agreed that they saw how the work they are doing in the project will help them during and after high school.
Whether designing a website or business plan in partnership with a local business or developing a health survey in conjunction with a local doctor, our projects are ideal for teachers who want to actively engage students while helping them master core content, explore careers, and develop technical and cross-sector competencies.
Career Discovery Projects were previously called Career-Ready Performance Tasks.
Any teacher can select one of our robust projects and, with planning and customization for their student needs, have the tools necessary to facilitate high-quality Career Discovery Projects. The projects and resources, which have been downloaded over 1,000 times, are focused on four major industries: Health sciences, Information technology (IT), Advanced manufacturing, and Construction.
Designed for students in grades 9-12 and lasting between 6 weeks and a semester-long, the projects can also be adapted for middle school. In addition to detailed tasks and rubrics, professional development services, an implementation guide, and an industry site-visit guide are also available below.
To familiarize you with these materials and how you can utilize them to engage students in meaningful ways, below is one of our most popular projects that you may download now.
Sample Project: Small Business, Big Impact
Students partner with a local small business and apply their knowledge and understanding of effective website design, user accessibility, and universal design to create a solution that reaches a diverse customer base and grows the business.
Career Discovery Projects were previously called Career-Ready Performance Tasks.
When you request access to curriculum materials, you will receive all of the following Career Discovery Projects, free-of-charge:
Know Safety, No Pain
Students explore the concept of safety within the construction industry by serving as a consulting firm that conducts safety training for companies.
Smashing Stigma and Addressing Homelessness
Students explore homelessness and leverage expertise in the fields of construction and architecture to investigate, plan, and design a housing solution that aligns to professional standards and fits needs of people experiencing homelessness in their community.
Small Business, Big Impact
Students partner with a local small business and apply their knowledge and understanding of effective website design, user accessibility, and universal design to create a solution to reach a diverse customer base and grow the business.
Security Solutions in IT
Students work with an industry partner to identify an information security need for their company and devise, create, and evaluate a solution to the need.
Community Health Now
Students investigate major healthcare issues affecting their community; learn how standard data collection terms, tools, practices, and protocols can be used to understand and address these; administer a healthcare questionnaire and create an evidence-based policy proposal or marketing campaign.
Healthcare in Our Community
Students investigate the needs of their local community and propose a plan for a community clinic that meets the healthcare needs of the community.
The Future of Work
Students investigate the future of work, advanced manufacturing, and globalization, and develop a business plan for a new product, process, or service that solves a problem in their community.
Foodies Unite!
Students explore careers in advanced manufacturing and leverage the design thinking process to develop a solution for mass-producing affordable, high-quality frozen meals.
Cambiar Quest supports in the development and implementation of a district’s Career Discovery Projects or implementation of Cambiar’s off-the-shelf projects.
Career Discovery Projects Needs Assessment: Cambiar Quest develops and reviews with the district a needs assessment that analyzes their readiness for leveraging projects to improve career readiness.
Facilitation of Career Discovery Projects Design Process: Cambiar Quest facilitates the professional development and project design process and provides detailed feedback on each project. The typical design process lasts between 2-4 months. Scopes are site-specific but may include design sessions and check-in calls with the project lead and with each team developing a project.
Facilitation of Teacher Professional Development to Support Implementation: Cambiar Quest designs and facilitates customized professional development to support teachers implementing Career Discovery Projects. Scopes are site-specific but may include sessions with teachers over the span of 3 months.
Resources for Career Discovery Projects
Implementation Planning Guide
Site Visit Guide
Informational Overview
Template Presentation: Champion Discovery Projects in Your Own Organization
Process Guide for Developing or Adapting Discovery Projects
Designing the Future: Career-Ready Capstones (An Overview)
Digging Deeper: Career Discovery Projects
