Middle School is an important time in a students’ life because it is not only a time during which he or she discovers who they truly are, but it is also a time for the student to begin planning for his or her future. By exploring their interests and researching careers of interest, students will be better prepared for their high school, college, and occupational careers. Being a member of FBLA is a great step to take towards discovering their passion because FBLA offers many opportunities for its members to plan ahead!
Middle Level members are offered a variety of opportunities to learn about different careers throughout the year. They can take advantage of these benefits by attending conferences, competing in a competitive event, listening to guest speakers, attending workshops, participating in job shadow opportunities, and speaking with professionals about their occupations. Through holding officer positions at the local and state levels, completing their Middle Level Achievement Program activities, and heading a service or fundraising committee, Middle Level members are offered opportunities to meet with a variety of people and come into contact with many novel ideas.
In order to get a head start on their career plans, the student can complete Activity #1 under the Career Exploration category of the Entrepreneur Level of the MAP! This requires the student to interview a family member about his/her career. The student can have fun with this because they are allowed to create their own interview questions based on what they would like to know. Examples of interview questions are:
- What is your occupation?
- What are skill and educational requirements for your occupation?
- What is the average salary for employees of your occupation?
- Where geographically are most jobs for the occupation found?
- What courses should I take in high school and college to prepare me for this occupation?
This activity does not have to be completed at school, either. The student can complete this activity at home in a comfortable setting. The interview questions and responses must be attached to the Entrepreneur Level submission packet. The questions and responses must be neatly typed or written, and the interviewee must grant the student permission to use his/her responses in the student’s MAP submission. For more information on the MAPs, please visit http://www.fbla-pbl.org/data/files/docs/2015/1020/1516_MAP.pdf. It is never too late to start working on your MAP!
