Career Readiness & First Job Kit for California High Schools & Continuation Programs (EN/ES)

What you get: a 49-page printable PDF for grades 9–12 and continuation programs, sent as an instant PDF download. Nothing is shipped.

A ready-to-teach 8-session unit that takes a student from “What could I do?” to a finished first resume, a practiced interview and a work permit request. It includes the California facts students need about work permits, hours, pay and their rights at work, with every source listed.

What's inside

• Teacher and counselor guide with an 8-session plan (45–55 minutes each), exit tickets, tips for continuation and independent study, and a page aligning the kit to the 12 CTE Standards for Career Ready Practice
• Explore: a career interest inventory, a strengths and values sheet, a job research sheet, a compare-3-jobs table, a pathways-after-high-school page and an informational interview guide
• A first resume for students with little experience: a page that turns home, school and volunteer experience into resume lines, a guide to the parts of a resume, a worked example with a fictional student, and a template in English and Spanish
• Cover letter and thank-you note, each with an example and a fill-in page
• Job applications: where to find a first job and how to spot a scam, how to fill out an application, a completed sample application, and a blank application in English and Spanish
• Interview practice: a checklist, 12 common questions in English and Spanish, a 2-page STAR answer planner, a peer mock-interview rubric and a reflection sheet
• Work permit walkthrough for Forms B1-1 and B1-4, a chart of the hours minors may work, the 2026 and 2027 California minimum wage, and a worker rights page with sources
• Workplace basics: reading a pay stub with practice questions, professional email, texting a manager, a first-week checklist and hours log, and a 30-60-90 day plan
• A reference list, a job search tracker, a family letter in English and Spanish with a return slip, an answer key, and a sources page

Classroom use included

Use it in advisory, CTE and Work Experience Education classes, counseling groups, ELD classes or one-on-one sessions. Classroom license: one teacher and that teacher's own students for one school year. School-site license: every staff member at one school site for one year. District license: up to 10 school sites for one year. Print as many copies as your license covers, or post it in your school's learning platform for your own students. Schools can pay by purchase order. See the school portal for site and district licenses, quotes and W-9.

Good to know

• California facts were checked in October 2026 against the California Department of Education and the Labor Commissioner's Office. Sources are listed in the kit.
• This is a teaching kit, not legal advice. Your district's work permit process comes first.
• All people and businesses in the examples are fictional. No app, no login and no student data.
• Not affiliated with or endorsed by the California Department of Education or the Department of Industrial Relations.

Funding fit: Schools often use Title I/SPSA or LCFF funds for resources like this; your district decides.

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