Guiding our children through the transition from child to teen is tough. I believe that one of the biggest challenges we face is guiding our young people about their future. Where do we even begin helping our high school students choose a career?
What career does your teenager want? They often get asked this, but the truth is many times they don’t really know! They may have ideas of what they might like to do based on their interests and things they enjoy doing, but often those things don’t give them much direction when it comes to choosing a career.
But the challenge for many of us is that we can get so caught up in the day-to-day tasks of parenting that we forget to focus on the bigger picture. When helping your child plan their future career as a teenager, we need to be intentional. It’s important to take a step back and think about what our children need to thrive and how they can apply that going forward. As parents, we can provide guidance and wisdom as they navigate this but ultimately it’s up to them to find their own path.
I was recently given the chance to review TruSpark. It was created to help you understand what truly drives your student and how to better motivate them. For instance, what sparks your student’s core motivations, captures their interest, and draws them into activities they love and do well?
It also has a faith-based element created to direct young people in career exploration based on the core motivations that are determined by the assessment that is included. Mom, if you have been looking for a career quiz for teens, this is even more powerful!
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. I was compensated for my time reviewing this product and writing this review.
TruSpark is an assessment and curriculum, designed to help kids aged 12 to 16 learn what truly motivates them. It then gives options for what career would be fitting for them. It’s a great tool for talking with young people about their goals and seeking God’s direction for their future. The included Scripture illustrates some of the teachings and makes them more personal and applicable.
It was created by a team of dedicated experts such as psychologists, teachers, career recruiters, researchers, consultants, and life coaches. The program was designed based on TruMotivate, which is aimed at college-level young adults. TruSpark’s creators took this model and scaled it down to fit pre-teens and teens.
Since my kids are all grown, I thought it would be really fun to go through the program with my granddaughter Treya, who is 16 years old. She has been talking about different career choices for 16-year-olds and what she might want to do when she graduates, so this was a perfect time!
TruSpark has a printable journal that Treya filled out as she went through the curriculum.
The suggested time to complete the curriculum and assessment is about 4 hours. (We broke it up rather than doing it all at once.) Here is the breakdown, showing the 3 levels.
In Level 1 the students learn about Core Motivations. Some of the ways that TruSpark describes Core Motivations are:
I LOVE how the story from the Bible about Joseph is used to illustrate Core Motivations!
After completing the first 2 lessons in Level 1, the student takes the TruSpark assessment to help them know what their core motivations are.
There are 19 core motivations included:
Below you can see what were shown to be Treya’s 3 core motivators, a description of them, key characteristics, and related occupations. Notice too that there is a tab at the top where the student can click to see more career paths.
After completing the assessment and getting the results, the student returns to the curriculum for additional information, as well as insight and resources based on their specific core motivations. There are engaging activities to help the students learn how to practice their core motivations, and engage in career explorations.
After their top 3 core motivations are determined, 10 possible occupational matches are given to get them started on exploring career options.
I really liked how the curriculum and assessment worked together. It didn’t just give my granddaughter knowledge about her core motivations and leave her to figure out what to do with that information. It went on to show her how to use that knowledge to make important decisions when considering her future career.
This supplemental material makes it very easy for parents to engage in conversation and guide their teens as they work through the curriculum. It also encourages them to dig a little deeper and get the most out of the information they are learning.
The knowledge the students get from the curriculum and assessment will help them improve their decision-making skills, and grow in self-confidence. More importantly, they will recognize how God makes them unique and has a special plan for them based on their core motivations, and what drives them.
I love that TruSpark bases its suggestions on your teen’s stories. It is the stories of their life that mean the most and have the biggest impact in giving insight into their core motivations. It helps them learn more about themselves, who they are, and what their passions are.
Knowing the core motivations of your child is helpful to you, as well. As a parent, you can use it as a guide to help your child choose a career path. You can also use that knowledge to look for extracurricular activities that appeal to their core motivations.
Find out what motivates your teen, and let their core motivations be a guide as they make decisions for life!
Click here to get started and use coupon code kathie for $5 of any purchase. Valid through 12/31/2022.
PLEASE NOTE: To get the faith-based version, you need to check the box at checkout to get access to the faith-informed version!
Not ready to buy? Get the free printable and DIY here!
