Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Required for Gerontology AAS Degree and most Gerontology Career Pathways Certificates. Should be taken in first term in the Program. Includes access to the Gerontology Homeroom in Desire2Learn, through which students will track their progress and create their ePortfolios for professional and learning outcomes assessment purposes.

Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:

1. Conduct labor market and career option research in the field of aging to develop and prioritize desired career pathways.
2. Develop SMART career and educational/training goals, objectives, and plans.
3. Create a reflective and professional ePortfolio to track and adapt their career and educational/training goals.

Course is usually taught in a workshop-online format, but can be completed entirely online or through in-class meetings. Students pursue online and field research on issues within the field of gerontology. Activities include job and training exploration demographic and market research, informational interviews, planning and goal setting as well as optional meeting with a career coach in the field.

Student progress in meeting the intended course outcomes are measured by a range of assignments including

• Job and training exploration based on personal skills and interests
• Identification of preferred gerontology job and internship options
• Market research on targeted age specialties
• Informational Interviews
• Planning and goal setting

Content includes:

1. Overview of the field of gerontology
2. The implications of aging demographics and population characteristics for options and emerging subfields within gerontology
3. Internships, certification and training opportunities in gerontology
4. Informational interviews with the program's community partners
5.  Shadow mentorships
6. Gerontology resources and education