Future Blueprint Slides Future Blueprint
Designing Your Career Path
Today's Mission
01
Self-Discovery
Identify your unique strengths, personal interests, and core values.
02
Career Mapping
Connect your personal profile to real-world career possibilities.
03
Future Vision
Start building a visual representation of your professional dreams.
The Foundation
Strengths
What am I good at?
Interests
What do I love doing?
Values
What matters to me?
Strengths
Strengths are more than just being "good" at math or sports. They are your natural talents and the skills you've worked hard to develop.
Natural Talents + Practice
Think about...
Activities that feel effortless to you
Tasks people often ask you for help with
Accomplishments you are proud of
The Interest Intersection
Subject Interests
Science, Art, Coding, History...
Activity Interests
Helping people, building things, solving puzzles, leading teams...
Hobby Interests
Gaming, reading, cooking, sports...
"Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life."
— Confucius (mostly true!)
Values
Values are the "why" behind what you do. They are the principles that guide your decisions.
Adventure
Seeking new experiences and risks.
Helping
Making a difference in others' lives.
Stability
Predictable routine and security.
Creativity
Expressing unique ideas and art.
Leadership
Guiding others and taking charge.
Knowledge
Constant learning and discovery.
Your Career Sweet Spot
STRENGTHS
INTERESTS
VALUES
THE PERFECT CAREER
The Great Investigation
Once you know who you are, it's time to find out what's out there.
Research Checklist:
• Daily responsibilities
• Required education/training
• Average salary range
• Future job outlook
Where to Look?
Bureau of Labor Statistics
CareerOneStop
Professional associations
Family and neighbors
Career Vision Boards
A vision board is a collage of images and words that represent your goals and dreams for the future.
Visual Inspiration
Mindset Tool
Goal Reminder
Curiosity Connections
"An informational interview is just a fancy name for a conversation with someone doing a job you find interesting."
1
Connect
Reach out to a family friend, neighbor, or teacher.
2
Ask
Ask thoughtful questions about their journey.
3
Listen
Take notes on the 'real' version of the job.
Your future isn't something you find. It's something you design.
Start your blueprint today.
PROJECT: CAREER_CARTOGRAPHY // VERSION 1.0
Future Blueprint Workbook Future Blueprint
Self-Discovery & Career Exploration
Name: ________________________________
Date: __________________
Part 1: My Strengths
Think about things you are naturally good at or skills you've worked hard to build.
Check all that apply:
Solving complex puzzles
Explaining things to others
Building/fixing things
Listening and giving advice
Organizing projects
Creating art or music
Using technology/coding
Persuading or leading others
Identify your Top 3 Strengths:
Part 2: My Interests
What activities make you lose track of time? What subjects do you actually enjoy?
If I had a free Saturday with no chores, I would spend my time:
One topic I could talk about for 30 minutes straight is:
Part 3: My Values
Rank these work values from 1 (Most Important) to 5 (Least Important).
Helping people/animals
Making a lot of money
Having a creative/flexible schedule
Being a leader or boss
Working outdoors or traveling
Career Investigation
Based on your strengths, interests, and values, choose two careers to research today.
Career #1: __________________________
Option A
Daily Responsibilities:
Education/Training Required:
Average Salary Range:
One "Cool Fact" About This Job:
Does this align with your values?
Yes
No
Maybe
Career #2: __________________________
Option B
Daily Responsibilities:
Education/Training Required:
Average Salary Range:
One "Cool Fact" About This Job:
My Future Vision
Use this space to sketch, paste images, or write words that describe your dream future. Focus on your Career Sweet Spot.
Draft Your Dreams Here
The Tools I'll Need
The Places I'll Go
The People I'll Help
Curiosity Connections
Your guide to Informational Interviewing.
1. Identify Your Contact
Name of professional:
Their Job Title:
2. The "Elevator Pitch" Script
"Hi [Name], my name is ______________ and I'm a student at [School Name]. I'm currently exploring different careers and I'm really interested in what you do as a [Job Title]. Would you have 15 minutes to chat with me about your journey?"
Future Blueprint Facilitator Guide Facilitator Guide
Lesson: Future Blueprint
Duration: 45-60 Minutes
Grades: 6-8
Learning Objectives
Students will identify at least 3 personal strengths and 3 core values.
Students will research two careers and evaluate their alignment with personal traits.
Students will prepare an informational interview script to build professional networking skills.
Required Materials
Future Blueprint Slides
Future Blueprint Workbook (1 per student)
Magazines, glue, markers (for vision board)
Internet access for career research
Lesson Procedure
05
min
Introduction & Hook
Use Slide 1. Ask: "If you could do any job for one day, what would it be?" Emphasize that your career is a design project, not a random occurrence.
15
min
Self-Discovery Assessments
Guide students through Slides 3-6. Students complete Page 1 of the workbook (Strengths, Interests, Values). Encourage them to be honest—there are no wrong answers.
15
min
The Career Hunt
Slide 8. Students use online resources (Bureau of Labor Statistics or CareerOneStop) to research two careers. They fill out Page 2 of the workbook.
15
min
Vision Board Creation
Slide 9. Students use Page 3 to create their vision boards. If magazines aren't available, they can use markers to draw symbols and write power words.
10
min
Curiosity Connections & Wrap-up
Slide 10. Discuss the value of informational interviews. Students prepare their script on Page 4. End with Slide 11 as a final reflection.
Facilitator Cheat Sheet
Power Prompts for Discussion
On Strengths: "What is a 'hidden strength' you have that doesn't usually show up in school subjects?"
On Values: "If you had to choose between a job that paid $1 million but you never saw your family, or a job that paid $50k but you had every weekend off, which would you pick?"
On Research: "What's the weirdest job requirement you found today?"
Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Connection
Self-Awareness & Self-Efficacy
This lesson targets Self-Awareness by helping students recognize their unique internal traits. By connecting these traits to future success, we build —the belief that they have agency over their future. For middle schoolers, career exploration isn't about picking a job for life; it's about building the confidence to explore and the self-knowledge to make choices that feel authentic.