Glossary for Vocabulary Terms

Glossary for Vocabulary Terms
CE.12 - Finding a Career in the American Economy

aspirations - a person’s hopes and goals for the future.

Associate’s degree - a two-year academic degree offered in various subjects primarily at community colleges. Some students reaching this degree decide to go directly into a related occupation, while others transfer to a regular college to continue their education and take a Bachelor’s degree.

Bachelor’s degree - the traditional academic degree awarded by colleges in a wide range of subjects upon completion of four years of study. After completing this undergraduate degree, additional years of study at a university level graduate school can lead to a Master’s degree or a doctorate.

salary - the money regularly paid to an employee, usually on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis, that is not based on a specific number of hours worked or quantity of work accomplished.

self-assessment - the process of “looking at oneself in the mirror” and examining one’s talents, skills, and aspirations. It is part of the process that an individual should go through while deciding on possible careers.

wage - the money paid to an individual for performing a job for a specified period of time, such as hourly, or for accomplishing a particular amount of work, such as picking baskets of peaches. When the pay is based on hours worked, the payment per hour is called the wage rate.

work ethic - a broad term for the attitudes and behaviors that show one’s desire to do a job well and to take pride in a job well done. Employers normally try to find and promote employees who have a strong work ethic.

vocational training - education aimed at preparing students for a specific job or job field. Many school systems offer vocational classes at the high school level in a range of occupations, such as carpentry, hair styling, and auto mechanics.