In this field of activities, students are encouraged to suggest what their "dream job" would be. At this point, the teacher asks the students what sort of duties and responsibilities each job would entail; these guesses are written down. The students are then asked to use research resources to find more information about their "dream job,", and to write a short report about what they've learned. This information is then compared to the student's original thoughts about the job, demonstrating which assumptions were correct and which weren't.
Speaking to professionals first-hand can be a fantastic way to inspire career awareness in students, as it helps them to see the jobs on a more personal and human level. If possible, ask students to bring one of their working parents in to give a brief talk about their selected career, and what the job is like on a day-to-day basis. This enables the opportunity for students to ask questions and interact with the professional, which can make learning about different careers more dynamic and memorable.
Field trips allow students to watch professionals at work directly, giving them an accurate insight into the skills and professional behavior required at different places of work. Although field trips may take time to organize, the students are likely to remember many more details about a particular job by physically walking around and observing small details. After the field trip, encourage each student to suggest whether they think it'd be enjoyable to work in that industry, or whether there were problems that could stand in the way.
To solidify the information that the students have learned during career awareness week, consider assigning them the task of presenting their knowledge in a play or puppet show. This presentation should give a rough outline about each job the student has studied, and should follow an average "working day," demonstrating what the professional is expected to do, and possibly what they do if things go wrong. Encourage the students to include small details about the job that they found particularly interesting, as this can make the play or puppet show more memorable and personal.