1.1

Learning Objective:
 * Change: what it is and how we experience it and deal with it
 * Identify and describe self-employment opportunities, using an analysis of needs in the school or community.

Section 1.1 - Change is all around us.
It is being said (I’m sure I’ve heard it somewhere and 3 bonus marks for whoever can find the quote) that we will have 3-5 different careers in our lifetime. You may know people that have had a lot more, I know I do!

Although this might sound ominous at best, it means that we must have training in order to accept new challenges. “Change is good” and we must “roll with the punches” as the clichés go.

All of this change happens at the hands of development, technology, and trends in market/economy, populations, and, yes, society in general.

Assignment 1:
Visit Iowa Regeneration, and read Mark Kresowick's article on "[|How To change the World"]. In response to this article post on the discussion board your response to the following two questions.


 * 1) Who is in control of change?(Who are social entrepreneurs?)
 * 2) Can students, youth, individuals change their world to match our vision of a better future? Or can they only change their behaviour to align with change in the world around them? Agents of Change or Victims of Change?

//Think about it://
How do you feel that you can use your strengths and skills in the best ways possible in order to cope with the change you will face in the future?

Remember, it doesn’t cut it to say, ‘well, I’m going to be a librarian so I only need books’ - libraries are all computerized and have require the implementation of cutting edge technology! Or, ‘I’m an actor, that will never change even in the future!’ -OK, maybe the profession won’t but how you get noticed and become known for your craft sure will!

Doctors, plumbers, flight attendants, all will have their jobs, and the training that’s involved, change and be revamped drastically as we evolve and grow. That’s life folks!

Assignment 2
Time to get out into the community! (You will have another assignment to do with a business in your town so you might want to start building a relationship now) Choose a local business that has been in operation for several years-preferably one that you find interesting. Ask the owner or manager if you can talk to them about trends or changes that they’ve seen over the past 5 years, 10 years, and longer. Describe the business you chose. Consider these questions to guide your interview: Finish up with your own deductions about current trends that would affect this type of business. Express a theory of how the owner could protect his interests from negative change. Place your completed assignment in the discussion board. Complete the template under question 3 as your response.
 * 1) Why did you decide to get into this business?
 * 2) What were some challenges that you faced when you first started? How did you overcome these?
 * 3) What changes in society have affected you the most since you started?
 * 4) Which change had the most positive effect? Which the most negative effect?
 * 5) What types of change are the hardest to deal with?
 * 6) What have you changed during this time to ensure your success?
 * 7) What trends have they noticed? What can they cope with (are there any changes that are impossible)?
 * 8) You my want to generate ideas, for example, you could say, “Have you noticed seasonal price fluctuation? Why”, “Is there more of a demand in this area over the last 5 years? Why do you think that is?”
 * 9) “ Are automated systems helpful or not?”

Return to Unit Overview or go on to 1.2